


Destiel Practical Magic AU

by Okaylittlebrother



Category: Practical Magic (1998), Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Magic, Angst, Ben is a Winchester, Destiel - Freeform, Ellen and Jody are sisters, F/F, F/M, Gabriel is an abusive asshole, Jo was never born, John and Mary are still dead, Kid Fic, M/M, Possessed Sam, Sam goes to Stanford, Slow Build Castiel/Dean Winchester, True Love, Witchcraft, daddy!dean
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-17
Updated: 2015-01-17
Packaged: 2018-03-08 00:07:45
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 26,081
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3188372
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Okaylittlebrother/pseuds/Okaylittlebrother
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>it's done! jfc that took forever. my little brother beta'd this once again. shout out to him for being awesome. I DO NOT OWN PRACTICAL MAGIC OR SUPERNATURAL! i just wrote this for my sisters enjoyment! i referenced the movie script for this entire thing, i changed a lot of stuff and added alot of stuff on my own. i was going to reference the book but i didn't want to. this is one of Kara's favorite movies next to Donnie Darko.</p>
    </blockquote>





	Destiel Practical Magic AU

**Author's Note:**

  * For [defendt0pbunk](https://archiveofourown.org/users/defendt0pbunk/gifts).



> it's done! jfc that took forever. my little brother beta'd this once again. shout out to him for being awesome. I DO NOT OWN PRACTICAL MAGIC OR SUPERNATURAL! i just wrote this for my sisters enjoyment! i referenced the movie script for this entire thing, i changed a lot of stuff and added alot of stuff on my own. i was going to reference the book but i didn't want to. this is one of Kara's favorite movies next to Donnie Darko.

"For more than two hundred years we Winchester women have been blamed by everything that's ever gone wrong in this town." Aunt Ellen explained as the four of them sat outside in the front lawn to enjoy a nice lunch.  
  
"Is that why people hate us so much, Aunt Ellen?" Dean asked curiously   
  
"They don't hate us, sweetheart." Aunt Ellen reassured the young witch.  
  
"We just make them a little nervous." Aunt Jody piped in with a small smile.  
  
Ellen turned to Jody. "Let's face it, Jody, We Winchester women have always created a stir." She said with a wave of her hand, turning to look at the two small boys. "It all began with your ancestor, Elizabeth." She continued. "She was a witch. The first in our family. And you are the most recent in a long and distinguished line." She gestured between the two boys.  
  
"Is that why they wanted to hang her? Because she was a witch?" Sam asked, popping a few grapes in his mouth.  
  
Ellen just laughed at Sam's question and gave him a slight shrug of her shoulders. "The fact that she was a bit of a heartbreaker didn't help. Nor did it help that most of her lovers had wives on the hanging committee." There was a long pause before she began to speak again. Almost as if she were lost in her thoughts. "But no," she said with a shake of her. "I didn't think it was either of those reasons. They feared her because she had a gift a power that has been passed on to you children. She had the gift of magic. And it was this very gift that saved her life. She was banished to this very island. With her unborn child growing inside her belly. She waited for her lover to rescue her. But he never came. No one came. In a moment of despair, she cast a spell upon herself that she would never again feel the agony of love. But as her bitterness grew the spell turned into a curse. A curse on any man who dared love a Winchester woman."  
  
"But we're not women, Aunt Ellen." Sam said eyeing the older woman.  
  
"Any person that'll love either of you." Aunt Jody added with a smile.   
  
The comment made Dean giggle into his hands as he shifted his gaze to his younger brother who was currently wrinkling his nose in displeasure.   
  
"Is that why Daddy died? From the curse?" Sam asked as Dean's giggle dissipated into the into the spring breeze.  
  
"Yes, my darling." Ellen nodded, her voice filled with sympathy as she sipped her beer before she continued on explaining to her nephews. "Your father knew he heard the beatles ticking for your mother's death all day long. He knew that when you hear the sound of the Deathwatch Beetle the person you love is doomed to die.   
  
"That's how you came to live with us. We tucked you into our lives then. We've raised you the best way we know how." Aunt Jody explained.  
  
Dean all the sudden flashed back to the day him and Sam came to live with Aunt Ellen and Aunt Jody.  
  
_The two Winchester boys walked up the sidewalk and met their aunt's at the front gate._  
  
_Aunt Ellen wrapped her arm around Dean's shoulder, Aunt Jody did the same to Sam and they guided the two boys put to the porch of the huge, white, victorian house._  
  
_Aunt Ellen leaned down to Dean. "In this house we have chocolate cake for breakfast."_  
  
_"And we never bother with silly things like bedtimes or brushing our teeth." Aunt Jody added, causing Sam and Dean both to laugh in unison._  
  
_"But with the sweets comes the sour." Aunt Ellen reminded with a smile as she tapped the tip of Dean's nose with her index finger._  
  
"So when you find yourself the center of attention..." Aunt Jody continued as Dean's mind focused on his flashbacks.  
  
_About the fourth day Sam and Dean had been  staying with their Aunts. They had been playing Cops and Robbers outside by the garden, when Sam noticed multiple bodies behind the tall bushes. He ran over to the gate to greet them._  
  
_He smiled and waved at the six kids- roughly between his and Dean's age - on the other side of the gate. "Hi, wanna play?" He asked innocently._  
  
_He heard a giggle then a whisper come from the group. Dean stood there waiting for one of them to answer his brother. Seconds after Sam felt something hit his face. A rock? He covered his face with his hand and shielded himself with his arms as more debris was thrown his way and the kids started a mantra of "Witch! Witch! You're a bitch." Before Dean swooped in and ran with him toward the porch as they dodged the rocks being thrown at them._  
  
Dean once again shook him from his flashback.  
  
"Sam, Dean." Aunt Jody looked to each of them to get their attention. "The only curse in this family is sitting there at the end of the table." She gestured to her sister. "Your Aunt Ellen." She teased with a smirk.  
  
The boys just laughed.  
  
Oh come on, Jody." She glared at her sister while waving the bottle around. "You have to admit that any person who gets involved with a Winchester is bound to end up six feet under." She said, rolling her eyes.  
  
"Spare me."  
  
"What about my poor Bobby?" Ellen asked.  
  
"Fate."  
  
"Accident."  
  
"No, no, no, no. It was fate!" Ellen cried.  
  
"Accident." Jody hissed quietly.  
  
Dean looked between the two older women. Once. Twice. His eyes finally stopping at Aunt Jody. "Daddy died of a broken heart, didn't he?" He asked.  
  
"Yes, my darling boy, he did." Aunt Ellen had answered. Which was unexpected. Dean looked at Sammy, who all the sudden looked sad upon hearing the tragic news of how their father died.  
  
"Hey," Aunt Jody cooed as she looked in awe at the oldest Winchester. "My little witch, let's go inside and do some spells." She suggested.  
  
"What about my homework?" Dean asked with a smile.  
  
"To Hell with homework! You'll both learn things in this house that you'll never learn in school. Let's go." The four of them got up and headed inside.  
  
Dean got a head start and looked back to find his brother not far behind. "Come on, Sammy!" He laughed.  
  
"Coming, Dean!"

* * *

  
"Very good, Dean. You've been blessed with a gift." Aunt Jody praised while clapping as Dean- who was currently dressed as Batman- gently blew at the wick of a candle, lighting it, with the huge book of spells in front of him and a chocolate pudding covered face.  
  
"What about me?" Sam asked, feeling a little left out. He was currently perched on the table next to Jody in his Superman costume.  
  
"Oh, we don't worry about you Sammy boy, your talents will emerge with time." Ellen reassured him, looking up from the desk in the corner of the room.  
  
There was a hard knock at the door just then. They all looked up at one another in silent wonder as to who that could be this late into the night.  
  
As the knocking continued, Ellen and Jody rose from their seats at the same time. Ellen turned back to look at them. "Dean, you just stay right here and work on your spells." She said as she disappeared into the kitchen. Jody following suit.  
  
Ellen and Jody stood stock still in the kitchen looking out the window of the door at a woman.   
  
"Get the bird." Ellen ordered softly.  
  
"Get the book." Jody replied.  
  
The woman sat at the huge oak table in the dining room as the two Aunt's stood behind her. Ellen holding a small bird and Jody holding the large book of spells Dean had been referencing minutes before. The young witches no longer in the place where they sat.  
  
Sam and Dean both snuck to the landing platform on the stairs and listened as the woman talked to their Aunt's.  
  
"--I want him so much, I can't think about anything else. I don't sleep. He has to leave his wife. He has to leave her now." The woman said.  
  
"Perhaps you'd like to find someone better suited." Aunt Jody suggested.  
  
"I don't want anyone else! He's all I can think about. Why the hell else would I come here?" She cried.  
  
"Take the money, Jody." Aunt Ellen nodded toward the wad of cash the woman threw on the table.  
  
Aunt Jody did exactly that and shoved the wad into her pocket before she pulled a long needle from the spine of the book and handed it to the distraught woman. Dean's eyes widened as Aunt Ellen held the bird out.  
  
"I want him to want me so bad, he can't stand it." The woman voiced aloud as she stuck the bird with the needle. Dean winced as his head dropped into Sam's lap.  
  
"I hope I never fall in love. I hope I never fall in love." Dean repeated as Sam pet his hair.  
  
"I can't wait to fall in love!" Sam replied with bright eyes and a huge grin.  
  
"Be careful what you wish for." Aunt Ellen told the woman.  
  
After the woman left, Sam and Dean ran upstairs to get ready for bed.

* * *

  
"They will hear my call a mile away. They will whistle my favorite song. They'll be the perfect cook." Dean said aloud as he picked petals off of the different flowers in the greenhouse.  
  
"What are you doing, Dean?" Sam asked as he as he entered the greenhouse quietly.  
  
"Summoning up a true love spell, Sammy." He said as he went back to referencing the qualities he wrote down in his notebook. "Called Amas Veritas." He said with a smirk.  
  
Dean continued to pick more flowers from around the greenhouse. "They'll love to read, they'll be kind and loving, their favorite shape will be a star. And they'll have the most amazing blue eyes.”  
  
"I thought you never wanted to fall in love?" Sam asked absently following behind Dean closely.  
  
Dean turned and looked at his brother, "that's the point, the guy I dreamed of doesn't exist and if he doesn't exist, i'll never die of a broken heart." He explained as he pulled the bowl away from his chest and the contents of the bowl began to float through the air into the sky.

* * *

  
**10 years later**  
  
Dean was standing next to his desk in his bedroom, already in his sweats, ready for bed as Sam stumbled next to him in a fit of laughter with a huge duffel bag around his shoulder.  
  
"Get the door!" He cried, almost falling on his face.  
  
Dean quickly opened the door and Sam made his way out throwing the duffel bag over the balcony to the ground below.  
  
"Wow." Dean said flatly looking at the busty blonde on the ground that yelped as the bag hit her foot.  
  
"Dean, you have no idea." Sam explained as he slapped a hand on his brother's shoulder making him gasp in surprise.  
  
"Do you love her enough to run off to Stanford together? And get married?" Dean asked curiously.  
  
Sam began to climb over the rail of the balcony. "Oh, come on, De, What's enough? I hate it here. I want to go make something of myself. I'm gonna be the best damn lawyer Stanford's ever seen!" He explained.  
  
Dean crossed his arms over his chest and glanced at his brother before casting his gaze to the ground. "I feel like i'll never seen you again." He said worriedly.  
  
Sam just smirked and shook his head in disbelief. "Of course you will, man." He reassured him. "You can see me again." He nodded once. "We'll grow old together. It'll be you and me living in a big house. These two grumpy, old, geezers, with all these fucking dogs, bitchin' and carrying on about god knows what." He paused, trying to get to Dean to look at him. When Dean's eyes met his, he continued. "Shit," he huffed a laugh. “I bet we even die on the same day."  
  
"You swear?" Dean asked sternly.  
  
Sam smile at him before turning to the blonde girl below. "Jess, throw my pocket knife up here." The blonde--Jess-- searched the side pockets for Sam's knife.  
  
"Check your pockets." She told him, when her search for the knife was unsuccessful.   
  
Sam patted himself down searching for the knife on himself. Ah! Back pocket! He pulled it out quickly and flicked it open. He unclenched his fist. "My blood." He said as he made a small cut on his palm. He took his brothers hand and cut his palm. "Your blood." He wrapped his hand around Dean's and squeezed it tight. "Our blood."  
  
Sam pulled Dean into a tight hug and didn't let go for a few seconds. When he finally pulled away he looked back one last time at Dean and gave him a smirk before he jumped down. Dean watched with a smile as he picked jess up and hoisted her onto his back before running to her car.   
  
Dean didn't go back inside until Sam was out of sight.

* * *

  
"Good morning. Hello, boys." Aunt Ellen greeted with a nod as she walked passed as the three of them exited the post office. "Bobby! Looking good!" She said with a grin. The man turned away from her, frightened, like she might cast a spell on him if he kept eye contact with her long enough." God, what was I thinking?" She said with a laugh as she nudged her sister. By the sound of it, Dean thought they were together at one time or another, but it must've not have went well if that was his reaction to seeing her in a long time.  
  
"Oh, El, let it go!" Jody teased giving her sister a playful swat on the arm before going through the stack of mail in her hand.  
  
"Oh, my goodness! Sammy's in Palo Alto!"  
  
She turned to Dean how was walking behind her. "Sam's in Palo Alto." She repeated.  
  
"Well, I guess that Jessica Moore girl is history."  
  
"Well according to that she is." Jody added, referring to the post card.  
  
Dean sped up to grabbed the card from his aunts hands, and began reading it. "That's insane!" Dean blurted out. "He keeps going through all these girls!" He exclaimed, shaking his head while they continued down the sidewalk.   
  
Aunt Ellen turned to look at him, "hopefully one day, he'll find a woman to go through him." She snorted.  
  
A woman was passing with her mother. Aunt Jodie nodded politely at the two of them, "hello, dear. How are you?" She greeted.  
  
The girl looked like was was about to return the greeting when he mother looked up to see how it was. "Oh honey! Don't look, they're witches." She said as she shielded her daughters eyes.   
  
Ellen shook her head and rolled her eyes, "oh Jo, just give it up!" She cried.  
  
"Never."  
  
"God, I miss him!" Dean groaned, as he reread the postcard for a third time already.  
  
"Oh, sweetheart." Aunt Jody cooed as she rubbed his back.  
  
They crossed the street and passed in front of a horse and carriage on their way, startling the horse.   
  
"Oh! Samson. Knock it off." Ellen ordered. As the horse neighed at her.  
  
"All I want is a normal life." Dean huffed as he threw his head back to pout.  
  
"My dear boy, when are you going to understand that "normal" is not necessarily a virtue?" Ellen asked. "It rather denotes a lack of courage."  
  
"Well, it's what I want." He said firmly with a curt nod.  
  
Jody place a hand on his shoulder.  "You see this couple?" She asked, pointing to a couple walking down the street. "He's having an affair with the CEO of the company he works for. And she can eat a batch of brownies in under a minute."  
  
Dean's laugh was cut short when he caught sight of a beautiful woman that passed him. She was beautiful enough that his head kept turning to follow her a minute after she was out of his line of sight. She smiled back at him and watched him walk, just before he stumbled over a crate of fruit.  
  
"Shit," he grunted. "Sorry!" He apologized ask he bent down to pick up the scattered fruit. The brown eyed girl giggled.

* * *

  
Dean was in the garden planting flowers for the older women that they had bought at the farmer's market a few days prior.  
  
Dean planted one of the Hydrangeas and packed the dirt in the hole.  
  
"What time is it?" Jody hissed quietly, bouncing her leg impatiently under the table.   
  
Ellen was typing away on Facebook as she glared up at her sister. "Any minute now."  She replied as she went back to her computer, only to be interrupted by the loud chime of church bells.  
  
They both turned to look at Dean simultaneously-- who got to his feet and and wiped the sweat from his hairline, then wiping it on his jeans. He listened to the clock chime.   
  
He felt like he should see that girl again. He didn't even know her name! But he had to see her. He bolted out the gate not even bothering to shut it behind him.  
  
"Where are you going, dear?" Ellen asked with a smirk as she shifted in her chair.  
  
Dean wasn't a runner, by any means, but he ran as fast as he could downtown hoping that the girl hadn't left.  
  
He was almost there as he rounded the corner seeing the dark haired woman loading her car. She looked over and noticed the man from earlier was running down the street. She stopped and watched as he ran toward her. When she realized that he was running toward her she figured she'd meet him halfway, and took off running too.  
  
When the two met in the middle, they smiled at each other as she jumped in Dean's arms and wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him deeply.  
  
**Dear Sammy,**  
**Today is our third anniversary and all I have to show for it is one beautiful little boy and a smokin' hot wife that I just can't keep my hands off of. I wish you could see us. No more stones being thrown, no taunts cried out. Everything is just so blissfully normal. Life is perfect.**

* * *

  
**Dear Dean,**  
**I'm chilling in the dorm hallways. I'm hanging out  in the coffee shop everyday-- they've got free wifi. I'm neck deep in homework. I've got a million friends. You might say that life is perfect. But I don't care about any of it. In fact, I only have two words to say to you: Gabriel Milton.**

* * *

  
Dean and Lisa were lying in bed, early in the morning. Ben's small body between the two of them. Dean kept hearing a familiar sound. He stared absently at the wall, listening. Not being able to get comfortable he shifted to his side with a groan and smashed his pillow against his head to drown out the noise.  
  
He knew very well what the sound was. He just didn't want to believe it.  
  
He just tried his best to fall asleep for a few more hours before the sun came up.  
  
The morning sun shone through the bedroom curtains. Dean had been awake since six o'clock this morning unable to sleep because of--  
  
That's when he saw it. Crawling slowly across the hardwood floor. He was sitting on the bed and he damn near did a face plant trying to reach it.  He slammed his hand down, hard on the floor thinking he had it. But it fell through one of the cracks.  
  
He ran to the garage to get his tool box and went right back into the bedroom. The beatle chirped repeatedly as he dug through the box to find a screwdriver. "No!" He yelled. "No! I hear you!" He panted as he started to throw things, trying to find the beatle. "Don't you fucking do this to me! Don't you fucking do it!" He cried through clenched teeth.   
  
He ripped the entire floor up, frantically. Board by board, looking for the Deathwatch Beetle. But it was no where to be found.   
  
But it still chirped.  
  
Lisa was just getting off work. She was walking to her car, but she stopped in the middle of the street when she heard someone shout somewhere.   
  
Bike race.  
  
She saw them coming toward her at rapid speed. "Lisa, look out!" A woman shouted.  
  
Dean gasped, feeling like his wife was in danger. It was like he saw it happening, as if he was standing next to her.  
  
She didn't have time to jump out of the way before they crowded the space she occupied. She stood stock still as almost twenty or thirty bikes passed her. It made her breath catch in her throat and her long dark hair whip wildly around her face. She turned to look as all of them finally finished passing her.  
  
Dean sighed in relief and a small smile graced his lips, just for a moment.  
  
"Look out behind you!"   
  
The chirps had became louder this time.  
  
She wasn't quick enough to notice the pick up truck that was headed straight for her. She didn't even hear the horn. It was alright so close, she didn't have time to dodge it.  
  
It's like Dean could hear and feel when it happened. Like he could hear the sound of paper from her bag snapping through the air and landing on the ground. He could hear the horn. He gasped for air, like he suddenly had forgotten how to breathe.

* * *

  
Dean tried to open the door, he tapped on the glass and jiggled the handle. His brain was running a mile a minute that he could barely process anything.   
  
When he finally got in he searched the house for Ellen and Jody, nowhere to be found he hollered up the staircase, echoing all the way up. "It was the curse, wasn't it?" He asked brokenly, trying to hold back his tears. "She died because I loved her so much!" His voice cracked.  
  
He felt like someone appeared in the room with him. He turned swiftly on his heels and saw Aunt Ellen standing in the doorway of the kitchen. "My poor boy." She whispered, so quietly he almost didn't hear it. Dean stood there and looked at her for an explanation of some sort. "We had no idea when we cast that spell." She replied, her voice was shaky as if she were about to cry.  
  
He looked over and saw Aunt Jody enter the kitchen from the living room.   
  
"What spell? What are you talking about?" He asked in a rushed. His eyes were red and puffy and he was already fighting to hold back tears. He looked at Aunt Jodie for a further answer when Ellen said nothing. Jody just shrugged a little. "Oh!" He whined as he clutched his chest. "You didn't..." He choked out as tears fell. "Please tell me that my own flesh and blood--" he trailed off.  
  
Aunt Jody shook her head slightly. "It was just a little push." She explained softly. "You wanted so much to be happy."  
  
"We never expected that you would truly love her..." Aunt Ellen added.  
  
Dean clutched his chest and held a hand over his mouth. He felt like he was going to be sick. "Well, I did." He sobbed quietly. "And I want her back." He demanded, pointing a firm finger at Aunt Ellen. He stormed passed the two of them into the greenhouse and grabbed the spell book, knocking a lot of things over as he made his way back into the kitchen. "You brought her into my life. You bring her back!" He demanded as he slammed the large book on the table with a loud thud. "I have never asked you for anything! I've never asked for spells, but do this! You can bring her back." He said loudly, flipping quickly through the pages of the spell book.   
  
"No dear," Jody soothed. "We can't do that."  
  
"We don't do that." Ellen explained softly.  
  
"You can do this!" He hissed, gesturing to the book. " I know you can. I remember. I found it in here when Mommy and Daddy died." The names sounded foreign on his tongue. He hadn't called John or Mary than since he was about six years old.  
  
"Even if we did bring her back," Ellen sided with him for a minute. "It wouldn't be Lisa. It'd be something else." She shook her head. There was a long pause. Like she was deciding what she was going to say next. "Something dark and unnatural." She explained.  
  
Immediately Dean's mind though of some of the worst possible scenarios. Demons, shifters, vengeful spirits... Then he decided he didn't give a single iota of a fuck.  
  
"I don't care what she fucking comes back as. As long as she comes back." His chest was getting tight again and a few tears had already began their descent down his flushed cheeks. "Please do this for me?" He sobbed. "Please?"   
  
Dean Winchester had never begged for anything in his life. Until now.  
  
It was a mantra of "pleases" until he was on his knees a sobbing mess, begging the two women for this _one_  thing. 

* * *

  
Ben walked up to the gate, his dad following suit. Both of them carrying duffel bags.  
  
"This is only temporary, so don't get too comfortable. There'll be no chocolate for breakfast. Homework will be done after dinner, teeth and hair brushed before bed."  
  
Dean came to a halt behind Ben as Ellen and Jody came down from the porch.  
  
"And as for you two," he said eyeing them with his lips pressed tightly together. "He will never do magic. Ever." He ordered as the four of them walked up to the house.  
  
Dean didn't want Ben growing up like he did. He didn't want him to go through what he went through with Lisa.   
  
The rules that applied when he and Sam first came here, no longer an option.

* * *

  
Dean had been sleeping, under the covers. Which is something he normally didn't do.  
  
Ben walked in with his backpack on his shoulders and his coat on, all ready for school. He was just waiting for his lazy dad to get his butt out of bed. "Dad?" He whispered quietly. "It's time for me to go to school." He said. "Daddy." He whispered as he rounded the bed. He shrugged his backpack off before he lifted the sheet up a little. "It's the same time as yesterday and the day before that, and the day before that." He explained as he poked his head into the sheet to see if the man was awake. He rounded the bed again, this time getting closer to Dean's face. "Out of bed, sleepyhead!" He shouted as he climbed over the huge lump under the blankets. "I'm worried about Aunt Jody...Do you know she listens to REO Speedwagon, she drives around town all liquored up. Naked!" He explained. Dean bite his lip to refrain from laughing. "All right." Ben said, huffing a sigh climbing off the bed. "I'll see you around."  
  
Ben started to walk away as Dean emerged from the covers and pulled Ben toward him by his jacket "Come here, little man!"  
  
Ben squealed as he stumbled backward and into the bed with Dean and he wrapped his strong arms around his son and buried his face in his neck. "I'm sorry baby." He hummed, snuggling up to his boy. "I'm just so tired." He finished with a long yawn.  
  
"It's okay, daddy." Ben told him.   
  
Dean just peppered his coat-clad back with kisses.

* * *

  
Dean was yet again burrowed under the sheets trying to sleep. When he couldn't, he just kicked the sheets off and flipped over and stared at the ceiling for a long time. He lifted his hand above his face and traced the Scar on his palm with his finger.  
  
"Sam.."

Sam could feel as Dean traced his hand, because his fingers got all tingly. He ran his thick finger over the scar on his hand.  
  
"Dean.."  
  
He rubbed his eyes before he pushed himself off the bed. He started over to the dresser to grab his phone before Gabriel startled him. "I was just thinking about you." He stated with a tight grip around the neck of a bottle of Jack.  
  
"You're always thinking about me." Sam said with a slight smile as he kneeled on the bed to press a soft kiss to the man's lip. He slowly pried the bottle from Gabriel's grasp as he pulled back to get off the bed.  
  
Gabriel somehow managed to pulled himself up to his knees to wrap Sam in his arms and bury his face in his neck. Kissing where neck meets shoulder.   
  
Sam huffed a laugh. "Babe, I just have to take a piss." He announced pulling away and walking toward the bathroom.  
  
Only to be engulfed by strong arms once more.  
  
"Then, we'll go together." Gabriel whispered against the shell of his ear.  
  
"Gabe, come on!" Sam all but whined as he pulled away.  
  
Gabriel raised his hands in mock surrender. "I'm just kidding, go ahead." He encouraged slapping Sam's ass.   
  
Sam takes the bottle of Jack with him and takes a seat on the closed toilet lid as he dug through the cabinets for the vial of Belladonna he stashed a few days ago. He unscrewed the cap and poured some in the bottle of liquor and swishes his finger in the air to make it stir.  
  
He waited for Gabriel to drink more than half of the rest of the contents of the bottle before it knocked him out.   
  
Sam got in the Impala shortly after Gabriel passed out and headed home for his brother.

* * *

  
Sam sat with his legs folded Indian style as he gently booped his brothers nose until he woke.   
  
Dean wrinkled his nose and slowly came to, blinking the sleep from his eyes. When his vision finally focused he saw his brother.  
  
"Hey." Sam greeted, looking down at the sleepy man.  
  
"Hey," Dean replied, voice thick with sleep. He stared at Sam for a second. "I was really, really happy." He choked out. Sam pulled him in before Dean began to sob.  
  
The two were still in bed when the sun came up, just talking and laughing. Probably filling each other in on all the shit that's been happening in their lives since they parted a few years back.  
  
"We were going to open a botanical shop." Dean started, as he looked at a picture of him and Lisa after they'd bought their first house together. "Lisa'd get the ingredients  And I'd make the stuff. She really loved my vanilla coconut body scrub. She smelled like it all the time. I used to hate it, but she started using it and since then she'd use it every time she showered." He explained with a laugh. He looked over at Sam and just stared for a moment. "I'm sure all this is really boring to you. But she really made me laugh, Sammy. I wish you could have met her."  
  
  
"Milton?" Dean snorted. "What kind of fucking name is Milton, seriously?"  
  
"English." Sam answered with a laugh.  
  
"English?"  
  
"uh, huh." Sam nodded once from where he was seated in front of the fireplace, absently playing with one of the strings on his Maroon Stanford hoodie. Dean had shifted to the foot of the bed and was currently hugging a pillow. "He's from somewhere in Kansas. He has this whole sass thing going on." Sam explained. "He's great. I mean, him and all of his siblings are named after angels. His parents are really fucking religious, and apparently so is he. That's all he can talk about, angels this, the devil that. Thank God for Jody's belladonna or I'd never get any sleep. The sex is good though." He added.  
  
"Why are you taking that stuff?"  
  
"I'm not using it. Sam answered with a shake of his head. "I'm just...giving it to him every now and then. That's all." He gestured waving his hand through the air.  
  
"So you're drugging your boyfriend to get a little shut-eye? Doesn't that seem strange to you?" Dean asked, furrowing his brow and narrowing his gaze at Sam.  
  
"Maybe." Sam shrugged. "But he's strong." He went on. "Stronger than me. In the mental sense, I mean. Physically, he's not stronger than me, because i'm clearly a goddamn Sasquatch. He can survive the curse."   
  
The room fell into a comfortable silence and the fire crackled behind Sam as Dean watched the orange light create an aura around his brother, who was now sprawled across the floor.  
  
"Do you forgive our father?" Sam asked looking at him. He studied Dean's face for a moment. He had been away from his brother for so long, that he hadn't realized that the man had been this sad since his wife died.  
  
"Sometimes."  
  
"Well," Sam sighed deeply. "You'll never forgive yourself unless you get your mope-y ass out of bed and you get dressed and brush your teeth, because your breath stinks and you take care of your son." Sam said getting to his feet and taking one large step to get to the bed. He offered his hand with a reassuring smile. "Come on," he nodded toward the door. "The kid needs his dad." He finished pulled Dean to his feet.  
  
Dean nodded. "Yeah, you're right." 

* * *

  
Everyday after Ben got out of school, he'd walk to his dad's shop from the bus stop. A lot of other kids get off at the stop but they all went their separate ways.   
  
Ben walked in front of the big showcase window and noticed his dad behind the counter stocking the shelves. Charlie and Josie were helping him.   
  
Dean caught sight of him as he turned around to open another box. He laughed as his son made faces against the glass and danced around.  
  
"How's your witchy daddy doin, Winchester?"   
  
Ben froze and turned on his heels.   
  
Balthazar.  
  
"He's fine." Ben beamed with a smile.  
  
Dean turned around as he heard the mantra of "Witch! Witch! You're a bitch!" Coming from outside. "Son of a bitch! You’d think after three hundred years they'd come up with a better goddamn rhyme!" He said as he hauled ass out the door to where the other kid were taunting his son.  
  
Ben was currently shoving and hitting the kid before Dean intervened. Meg Masters held her kid back and gave Dean a look. "Really, you're troublemaker of a son started this!" She accused over the shouting kids.  
  
Ben pointed at Balthazar, "I hate you!" He yelled at him, trying to shove passed Dean who was holding him back.  
  
"Put the finger down, Ben!" He ordered.  
  
Ben raised his hand, yet again. Everyone around him gasped in shock and stepped back at least a foot or two. "I hope you get....chicken pox!"  
  
"Ben!" Dean shouted. Dean laughed nervously and rubbed the back of his neck. "He--he was just kidding."   
  
The crowd dispersed and the two of them made their way out of the street. Dean grabbed him by the arm as he started to walk away. "What the hell is the matter with you?" He hissed. "We do not cast and we do not toy with people's lives! Do you understand? This is not a game, Ben." He told him.   
  
"No, you don't cast! And you probably couldn't even if you tried!" Ben shot back, tears running down his flushed cheeks as he shoved passed him walking away.  
  
Dean turned to look at him, eyes sharp with surprise. He didn't shout at him or run after him. He just walked back into the shop.  
  
"You have all this damn power and you don't even use it." Ben muttered.

* * *

  
"Dad said that any woman I marry is going to croak." Ben said.  
  
"That's such bullshit!" Aunt Jody laughed in disbelief.   
  
"What about your grandparents? John and Mary?" Aunt Ellen asked.  
  
Dean walked through the door and overheard the conversation.  
  
"Grandpa John died of broken heart, didn't he? How could he do that?" He asked. "Leave Dad and Uncle Sam behind when they were just little kids?"  
  
Dean entered the kitchen and Ben sat atop the table with a chocolate pudding cup.   
  
"Why won't he talk about it?" He asked when neither of the Aunt's answered his questions. "Was Daddy good at spells when he was younger? Why won't he do spells now?" He asked, shoving the last spoonful of pudding in his mouth.  
  
Dean leaned against the doorway with his arms folded across his chest, listening to his son ask all these questions. Aunt Ellen looked up at Dean with wide eyes. She looked like he was going to say something, but she held her tongue.  
  
"What's going on in here?" Looking between Ben and his Aunts.  
  
"Nothing." Jody beamed as she spun on her toes and flashed a smile at the man. "Just making food." She stirred the pot on the stove.   
  
"Mhm." Dean nodded with a smile. Ben smiled back at his dad as he approached the long wooden table in the kitchen.  
  
"Did you finish your homework?" He asked Ben." The boy nodded. "A thunderstorm's coming. Go check the windows for me, Okay?" Ben hops down from the table and bolts up the staircase.   
  
As soon as he disappeared he turned back to Ellen. "Making food, huh?" Dean huffed a laugh. "I want you both to watch what you say around that boy.” He jutted his chin upward toward the stairs. "I don't you filling his head with any of your bullshit, okay?"   
  
"We would never, Sweetheart." Jody shook her head.

* * *

  
**Sammy,**  
**Sometimes I feel there's a hole inside me an emptiness that, at times seems to burn. I think if you lifted my heart to your ear, probably you could hear the ocean. And the moon tonight, there's a circle around it. A sign of trouble not far behind. I have this dream of being whole. Of not going to sleep each night, wanting. But still, sometimes when the wind is warm or the crickets sing I dream of a love that even time will lie down and be still for. I just want someone to love me again. Like she did. I want to be seen. I don't know. Maybe I've had my happiness. I don't want to believe it but there is no man, no woman, Sammy, only that moon.**  
  
Dean folds the letter neatly and seals it in an envelope. He makes his way down the stairs and out of the house to slip the envelope in the mailbox.   
  
Just then, the phone rings. With a startled gasp Dean turns. "Sam." He mutters to himself and runs back into the house. Almost slipping on the hardwood and falling flat on his ass. Ellen was making her way to the phone just then. "Sam! It's Sam!" He stops and grabs the phone off the receiver in one fluid motion. "What's the matter?" He answers in a panic. His heart pound away in his chest like a jackhammer.  
  
"I'm scared." He replies. Sam Winchester is a twenty-one year old Law student. A two hundred- twenty pound, six foot four giant and he answers his brother in this broken tone that Dean remembers when he was five. Something had to have been horribly wrong for his brother to sound like that. "Can you come get me?" He whispered in a sob.  
  
"Where are you?" Dean asked quickly.  
  
"A shitty motel right off campus."  
  
Dean hung up with his brother and ran upstairs to get a jacket. Then trampled right back down the staircase like a mad man.  
  
"I'm taking the first flight out to Cali." He commented.   
  
"You hate planes." Ellen said.  
  
Dean shook his head once, "don't fucking care. It's Sammy. I'm going to get him. Watch Ben for me."  
  
"Just go to Sam. Ben will be alright. We'll take him to the Solstice Celebration." Aunt Jody explained  
  
"Why can't you two just stay here?" Dean asked giving each of the women a chaste kiss to the cheek.  
  
"Can't back out now. We're on the committee. We're presenting." Aunt Ellen beamed with a smile.  
  
"Fine." Dean huffed, taking the money for a cab that Ellen offered. He headed toward the door but turned back with a serious look on his face. "But I don't want him dancing naked under a full moon." He ordered pointing a stiff finger at both of them.  
  
"Of course not!" Jody snorted. "Clothing is entirely optional." 

* * *

  
Dean hated planes. Fucking hated them with a burning passion. But this was his little brother and he'll be damned if he doesn't reach his side fast enough.  
  
He took a cab to the motel Sam told him about. The cab screeched to a halt. Dean was out in a hurry throwing money at the driver.  
  
Dean knocked on the service window of the motel and waited.   
  
When he finally got the key to Sam's room. He unlocked the door with shaky fingers and entered the room.  
  
Dean looked around frantically not seeing his brother anywhere.   
  
"Dean?" A shake voice came.  
  
Dean spun around and saw his brother balled up behind one of the nasty beds.  
  
"It's me, Sammy." Dean called, walking toward his brother.  
  
He knelt down taking a look at Sam's face. He's crying. His long, brown hair is disheveled, damp with sweat and sticking to his forehead, black eye, busted lip.    
  
"The room service here sucks." Sam said with a laugh.  
  
"Come on, we're getting you out of here." Dean said, helping him to his feet.  
  
"He's been really crazy, you know?" Sam said as they walked out to the parking lot. "We've been driving for two weeks straight. I mean, not even straight. In these zigzags, back and forth. Damn these shoes!” He said absently, trying to shove his feet into his Nikes as the two of them walked across the parking lot. “Then today he just decides out of the fucking blue, that we're going to Kansas so I can meet his fucking parents and I told him I didn't want to because I have to get back to school sometime soon, ya know? For exams. because they are really fucking soon." He explained with hand gestures. “Then we got into this huge argument." He went on. "And I said, "Gabe,man. I have to get back sometime." And then he started yelling in my face and getting real loud. Then he punched me real hard." He gestured to his face. "The mother fucker!" Sam finished, then he stopped in his tracks because he noticed the moon. "Blood on the moon." He gasped.  
  
"I know," Dean nodded. "Let's just get to the car."  
  
Sam touched his wrist as if he was feeling to check if something was there. "Where's my bracelet?" He asked. He shrugged his backpack from his shoulders and started digging for something. "It brings me luck, I left it." He said turning back to got check the room. "I gotta get my bracelet. It was Dad's."  
  
"Sammy," Dean said, trying to coax his brother back to his side. "It's probably in the car."  
  
He came back after a minute then opened passenger side door to the Impala. It was hanging on the mirror. He grabbed it off the mirror but was quickly pulled the the backseat by someone. He flailed and struggled in the hold.  
  
Dean returned to the car after a five minute search for his brother. "Sammy, dude, just forget the da-" he cut off at the sight of Gabriel holding Sam in a chokehold at gunpoint.  
  
"Drive." Gabriel hissed.  
  
Dean had been driving four hours, they had already crossed state lines into Nebraska. Dean glanced in the rearview and noticed that Gabriel, sometime during the past few hours slid all the way to the other side of the car against the other window. He had the bottle of tequila to his lips before he made eye contact with Dean in the mirror. "Want some?" Gabriel slurred, tipping the bottle toward Dean. Dean glared at him in the mirror. "No?" He asked with a laugh and took another long drink.  
  
Dean shoved the drunk man's legs off the seats. "Keep you're fucking feet off the leather, asshole." He hissed.  
  
Gabriel laughed at his outburst. "Hey, Dean, you ever read any books by Louis L'Amour?" Dean shot him another glare. “Okay, Louis L'Amour is a foreigner and he loved all things cowboy. So Louis would write stories about rustlers. Rustlers who were really bad guys." He carried on with sloppy hand gestures, taking another swig from the bottle.  
  
Dean caught Sam's gaze in the mirror as Gabriel carried on and whatever the fuck he was talking about.  
  
"The belladonna is in my backpack." Sam whispered slowly.  
  
Dean looked over to the passenger seat where Sam's pack sat. He looked over briefly and blindly felt inside a few of the pockets before his fingers touch the vial.   
  
"They would try to steal the cattle. But before they could sell them they would try to take away the brand of the owner with an acid, or by scrubbing." He explained as he slipped his ring off his finger. He lifted his hips off the seat to grab the lighter from his pocket. He slowly waved the lighter on the metal of the ring getting it nice and hot, before grabbing Sam and yanking him closer. “Unfortunately, they could never get rid of it. So they would be caught and get hanged."  
  
Gabriel brought the hot ring closer to Sam as he struggled in the tight hold.  
  
Dean turned around in a heartbeat. "What the fuck are you doing?" Dean hissed.  
  
"Come on, Sammy! You can't hide the brand. It's just you and me." He explained as he pressed a kiss to the side of Sam's face.  
  
"Hey, hey, hey!" Dean was turned around hitting him so he would stop. He swerved between lanes.  
  
"Watch the road!" Gabriel cried.  
  
"Shut up!" Dean yelled turning his head to the back seat looking at Gabriel. "Rustlers and branding!" He mocked. "Louis L'Amour, by the way is not a foreigner! He's from North Dakota, you asshole!"  
  
"Watch the road!"  
  
"You're freaking me out, mother fucker! Give me the bottle before I plow you into one of these fucking trucks just to get you to shut the hell up!" Dean yelled as he yanked the bottle from Gabriel's hands and took a few long swigs before placing the bottle between his legs and breathing heavily. His heart rate was through the roof.  
  
Dean shook a little belladonna into the bottle and let it stir and smiled contently into the rearview mirror.   
  
"Calm down!" Gabriel soothed as he sat back, pulling Sam close. "You know, boys. I'm feeling very into brothers right now." He explained as he nipped at Sam's jaw.  
  
They stopped about ten minutes later to let Gabriel take a bathroom break. All the tequila must have gotten to him already.  
  
Gabriel was standing in a gravel lot spinning the Impala keys in his hand, making certain that Dean didn't take off without him. He had his head tipped back and started singing Elvis Presley at the top of his lungs.  
  
"He should have passed out by now, Dean. Did you even give him enough?" Sam said worrying his split lip.   
  
"I gave him more than enough."  
  
Gabriel was stumbling back to the car. Sam followed him with his eyes. "Dean," Sam whined quietly. "What's he gonna do?" He asked.  
  
"Just stay calm." Dean told him as Gabriel climbed back in the car, singing. He got closer to Sam face and looked at him. "You were always on my mind."  
  
Sam shook his head. "Gabe, please baby? I love you." He said, voice cracking as tears fell down his cheeks. "C'mon." He tried to reason, grabbing Gabriel's face in his hands. "I love you. I want to be with you forever."  
  
Gabriel shook his head. "I'm so sorry, my love." He apologized as he snaked his hands up to Sam's neck and started to choke him.  
  
"Hey, hey!" Dean turned around, and was already over the seat grabbing Gabriel and trying to shake him off his brother. He eventually started punching him in the back until he fell bonelessly on top of Sam. Dean just kept going.  
  
"Dean!" Sam called as Dean continued. "Dean, he's out!" He told him.  
  
Sam turned him over and started giving him mouth to mouth, not sure if Dean had killed him. "How much did you give him Dean?"  
  
Dean shrugged. "I don't know, Sam. I didn't measure the shit. He was too fucking busy trying to kill you."  
  
Sam was pacing back and forth in front of the car. "Please, God, if you get us out of this, I'll be good. I'll have babies." He begged as he rounded the car to the passenger side.  
  
"I have a baby, Sam." Dean hissed. "I had normal. And I worked really hard to get that normal."  
  
"It's all my fault, Dean. I didn't mean to ruin your life. I just had no one else to turn to." Sam cried.  
  
Dean sighed heavily before standing up straight. "You didn't-- you didn't ruin my life, Sam. Just get in the damn car."   
  
Sam stood, unmoving and looked at his brother.   
  
"Get. In. The. Car." Dean enunciated.  
  
"We have to go to the police. It was self defense." Dean told him as they got back on the highway.  
  
"The old slowly-poison-him-to-death self-defense?" Sam sighed. "Come on, Dean, they're never going to believe us."  
  
Dean exhaled the breath he didn't know he had been holding. He ran a hand through his hair. "I really don't want to lose my son, Sam." He said shakily   
  
"I know." Sam breathed a whisper. "I don't want you to, either."  
  
Sam dropped his head to the cold window. The car had fell silent. Then Sam shot his head up and looked back at an unconscious Gabriel, then back at Dean.   
  
Dean raised a brow. "What? What are you thinking?" He asked curiously.  
  
"When Lisa died, you went to the aunts and asked them to bring her back."  
  
"No, but they wouldn't." Dean said looking at Sam briefly then back at the road.  
  
"Wouldn't. But couldn't."  
  
"No, They were right. She'd come back as something dark and unnatural." Dean explained.  
  
"Gabe already _is_  dark and unnatural. I don't care what he comes back as. As long as he comes back with a goddamn pulse." Sam told him.  
  
"No, no, no! No!" Dean slammed his hands on the steering wheel. "No, Sam." He shook his head once. "Nope. No fucking way in hell. That is not an option. That is not a choice." He ordered shoving a firm finger in Sam's face.  
  
"We don't have a damn choice, Dean!" Sam threw his hands up in mock surrender. "This is our choice."

* * *

  
"You owe me big time." Dean grunted as him and Sam carried Gabriel's unconscious body in the house and through the kitchen.  
  
"He's gonna wake up. And he's gonna be pissed." Sam winced as he laid his boyfriend on top of the table with a thud.   
  
Dean shuffled across the kitchen and stepped into the greenhouse to grab the tools and the spellbook and a few potions from the cabinet.  
  
Sam was busy prepping him. He cut off his shirt with a pair of kitchen scissors. "Okay, Gabe. I'm going to get your stupid ass out of this, and when I do. You and me are fucking done for, buddy. Fucking done." He hissed at the unconscious man.  
  
Dean walked around the corner with the spellbook and saw Sam slap Gabriel.  
  
"What the hell are you doing?" Dean grimaced.  
  
Sam jumped and looked up, "uh, nothing!" He said keeping eye contact with Dean as he walked over to him.  
  
"Sam. Are you _sure_ you wanna do this?" He asked.   
  
Sam hesitated for a moment and looked at Gabriel, then nodded, looking at Dean. "Absol-fucking-lutely."  
  
"Touch bounded smudge of blue sage with braided wheat straw. Insert needles through eyes of corpse--" dean read from the spell book.  
  
Sam winced. "Through the eye?"  
  
"That's what it says, Sam! I thought you wanted to do this." Dean looked at him, then back at the spellbook as they waved their hands in circles over Gabriel's body.   
  
"I do." Sam twitched. "But I wasn't expecting inserting needles in eyes kinda shit."  
  
"Jesus fucking--" Dean trailed off and rolled his eyes dramatically. "You're a fucking witch for Christ sake. You do shit like this all the time." He snapped.  
  
The bickering subsided a moment after and both men inched slowly toward his eyes with the intent of pushing them through his eyeballs. Dean went to open his eye lid, pulling his hand back with a quickness. "Mother fucker!" He screeched loudly, grabbing a hand towel from the stove.  
  
Sam watched him and shook his head vigorously.  "No, no. This is a bad idea, we should wait for Ellen and Jody."  
  
"He's not gonna stay fresh for long, Sam." Dean hissed, still nursing his burnt fingertips.  
  
Dean threw the towel toward the counter and clapped his hands. "Go find something white to write on top of the star."  
  
Sam scurried around the kitchen and came back to Dean with a can of Reddi-whip. Dean just glared.  
  
"It's all I could find." Sam whine.  
  
"Whatever. It's fine." Dean said taking the can and popping the cap. He drew a star on Gabriel's chest. He ran his finger across the spell book. "We're supposed to say: black as night, raise death from our sight, white as light, mighty hectic make it right."  
  
Sam face scrunched up in confusion. "Are you sure? I thought witches were supposed to have Latin spell books... That's not Latin." He said pointing to the book.  
  
"Sam!" Dean hissed.  
  
"Right. Okay." Sam said, focusing.  
  
They started the spell, needles in hand. Eyes locked on each other. They repeated the spell a few more times.  
  
They both looked down at Gabriel at the same time and gasped, resulting in them dropping their needles as his eyes opened. They stared at him.  
  
He shifted his gaze to Sam and reached for his neck before he sat up. Sam struggled and Dean didn't hesitate for a second as he turned around and reached for a cast-iron skillet that sat on the stove and hit Gabriel on the head.  
  
He didn't budge.   
  
And was still choking Sam.  
  
He hit him again. Twice. Thrice.  
  
He fell to the floor.

* * *

  
It had already begun to pour as the two of them dragged Gabriel's body out of the house along with a few shovels.   
  
After the dig the hole Sam climbed out and double checked for a heartbeat. Nothing.  
  
Dean climbed out and rolled over top the lifeless body. "You have. The. Worst. Taste in men, Sam." Dean said breathlessly as he started to roll Gabriel into his muddy grave.  
  
As they were packing the mud down with their boots, Sam looked up. "Dean?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"This sounds really stupid right now." He started. He just stood there looking at his brother. He felt a lump start to form in his throat. "I just wanted to say thank you." His voice cracked as he crashed into Dean for a hug.   
  
They separated and stood there silent. "What are we gonna tell Ellen and Jody?" Sam asked, his voice shook with worry.  
  
"Nothing, we're gonna put this behind us and tell nobody." He explained.

* * *

  
Sam paced the floor in the living room and heard a car on the street. He looked out the door and turned around to Dean, who stood on the platform of the stairs. "They're here."   
  
A few seconds later Ben was running through the door. "Dad! Dad!" He called looking around for him. He looked up and saw Dean.  
  
He descended the stairs and was met with an attack hug. "I danced naked under the full moon, Dad! Oh, my God! It was awesome." He beamed, excitedly.  
  
He turned his gaze toward someone standing in the doorway, then turned back to Dean, then back to Sam.  
  
"Oh, my God! Uncle Sam!" He screamed jumping up and down, before he jumped into his arms.  
  
Sam stumbled and almost lost his balance. "Woah!" He said loudly, steadying himself. He shook Ben off of him and took a step back to get a good look at him. "Wow! You're getting so big!" He exclaimed, cupping Ben's chubby cheeks in his palms. "You look just like your Mama."  
  
He lifted his gaze, "oh." He mumbled, standing up and wiping his palms on his jeans. "Hi, Aunt Ellen." He said timidly.  
  
"My goodness." Ellen whispered stepping toward Sam with outstretched arms to cup his face. "Sam, look at you." She said before kissing his cheeks. She pulled back slowly and got a good look at his face. He smiled a little. "Jesus," she muttered. "He got you good, didn't he baby?" He nodded. "Nothing a little Mudwort won't fix, son." He just smiled at her.  
  
She turned around. "Ben, why don't you and me to to the greenhouse?" She said, corralling him up and shoving him through the kitchen.   
  
By then it was Jody's turn to get a hug. She pulled away after and looked at his face and shook her head. "Don't worry, sweetheart," she ruffled his hair. "Whoever he was, he'll get what he deserves."  
  
Sam and Dean shared a look.  
  
Jody rubbed his arm lightly, "I think a brownie will fix you right up." She offered.  
  
"A brownie? For breakfast?" Sam laughed in disbelief. Well that was what the two of them were raised on.

* * *

  
"Dean." Sam practically moaned as he sat on the ledge of the window of the Dean's shop rubbing lotion into his skin.  
  
Dean, Josie, and Charlie looked at him as they continued to stock the shelves.  
  
"You've done a great job."  
  
Dean sighed, "Sam, if you're gonna work here. Maybe you could--" he dropped his hand to the counter with a thud. "I don't know work?" He suggested.  
  
"I am," he answered. "I'm testing the merchandise."  
  
That pulled laughs out of Josie and Charlie. Dean sighed and shook his head, getting up from his chair and grabbing his books. "You guys know where to reach me. I'll be back, if anyone cares." He said flatly, headed toward the door.  
  
The door slammed behind him and made Sam wince. "Did I do something wrong?" He asked looking up at the redheads.  
  
"Phone tree day." Charlie said.  
  
"Phone. Tree. Day." Josie enunciated.  
  
"Parents hotline. You know? If there's like a snow day? They decide who's the most responsible--"  
  
"You mean the most popular." Josie cut in.  
  
"The most responsible parent to tell all the other parents." Charlie explained with a roll of her eyes, that was meant for Josie. "The chosen parent calls all the other parents down the list. Everyone gets a turn."  
  
"Except Dean." Josie interrupted yet again. "He never gets picked because everyone knows he's a wi-" Charlie glared at her. "Everyone knows he's different." She said with a polite smile.

* * *

  
"Quiet! Quiet!" Missouri Moseley soothed as she stood in front of all the chatty parents. It got a little quieter and he continued. "The third name on top of the phone tree is... Carmen Porter."  
  
Everyone turned to look at the woman. Everyone except for Dean. Whose attention was focused more on the book his face was currently buried in. Mary Shelley’s _The Modern Prometheus_  
  
Then the door slammed shut, everyone looked up and instantly started whispering.  
  
"Fuck." Dean mumbled as he slid further down in his seat, shielding his head with his arms to save himself the embarrassment.  
  
"Hey," Sam greeted with a smile and a wave. "Sorry to interrupt."  
  
"Can I help you?" Missouri asked, with a little snark. Clearly she was upset that she was disrupted.  
  
"My broth- oh!" He pointed to Dean and smiled. Dean rolled his eyes and let his head fall to his desk. "I just wanted to talk to my brother." He said, weaving his way through the narrow rows of desks.  
  
"I heard he left his fiancee for a man.." He heard from someone.  
  
"Yeah, I heard that too."  
  
"Yep! That's right, i'm back!" He announced.  
  
Dean laughed. "Christ, all that's missing now is, me naked without my homework." He told him.  
  
"People," Missouri said, getting everyone's attention. "The second name from the top of the phone tree list is... Kevin Tran."  
  
"Did you know he fucked one of his Professors at Stanford?" Came another whisper.  
  
A rubber band snapped and the girl in front of them yelped, "ow!"  
  
Dean swatted Sam's arm. Don't do that." He ordered, trying to stifle his laughter.  
  
"What?" Sam chortled. "It wasn't me." He said. The two of them snorted at the same time.  
  
Missouri gasped, "oh i'm so happy to report this." She said eyeing her audience. "At the top of the phone tree list is...." She paused for a dramatic effect. "Dean Winchester."  
  
There was chatter throughout the classroom and Sam just started clapping loudly. "Go, Dean!" He turned and shot Dean a grin. "Now that was me."

* * *

  
Sam was perched in front of Dean's face, trying to wake him up.  
  
"Wake-y, wake-y." He whispered.  
  
Dean whipped his head back and forth and opened his eyes, swatting at Sam to get him to stop breathing in his face. Dean groaned and laid there for a minute trying to wake up. Whatever Sam was saying was drowned out by sound of electronic whirling as it echoed up the winding staircase.  
  
Both of them stilled, listening.  
  
"Midnight Margaritas!" The both squealed in unison, flailing on the bed in excitement as they struggled to get up from the bed. Both of them trampled down the staircase, which made it sound like a herd of fucking elephants crashing through the house.  
  
Dean hit the wall first, his gigantic baby brother crashing into him as Ellen and Jody held out margaritas for the both of them.  
  
Somehow the four of them starting dancing around the table in circles as they drank and sang along (horribly) to Bob Seger that was blasting through the kitchen stereo that had been mounted under the cabinet.  
  
After an hour or so the four of them calmed down enough to where they were sat at the table doing shots of tequila while Sam read Dean's palm.  
  
"I see a man in your future." Sam said.  
  
"A _man_?" Dean asked with a laugh.  
  
Sam nods and laughs with him. "A man." He assures. "And, he's huge." He explained, waggling his eyebrows. The four of them are in fits of laughter. "But you're scared to death and you wind up like a frigid old hag. With your two frigid old hag aunts." Sam said aimlessly, turning red in the face from laughing so damn hard. He calmed down after a few seconds and took a breath, looking at Dean. "I don't know where that came from. That was weird." He chuckled.  
  
"He's never been interested in his gifts." Aunt Jody said, referring to Sam. "He just made that all up." She explained with a shrug as shot poured four more shots.  
  
"Don't lie. Sam has his own gift and we all know what it is!" Aunt Ellen laughed as she threw back her shot glass.  
  
"Oh please!" Dean said, shaking his head. "Since when is being a manwhore a crime in this family?" Dean asked. He dissolved into giggles and stopped when he suddenly burped out of nowhere, which caused all of the to go into a laughing fit.  
  
"What would you know about that?" Ellen weased. She had somehow gotten a hold of the Jose Cuervo. "When we put that spell on you for Lisa, we had to bind it with molasses just to get your legs to open up." She cackled.  
  
"You self-centered bitch!" Sam blurted out in laughter.  
  
"Ingrate!" Jody laughed almost falling out of her chair.  
  
"Witch!" Dean piped in, laughing so hard he thought he was going to burst a lung.  
  
They started to simmer down after that but Ellen and Jody were mumbling something drunkenly. The boy's couldn't understand them.  
  
"--I just never had the time. You were always on my mind." They sang in unison, drunkenly.  
  
Sam's eyes darted up to mean Dean's wide ones.  
  
Dean grabbed the bottle of Cuervo and looked at his Aunts. "Where did this bottle come from?" He asked in a serious tone. They were too busy giggling to answer. "Where did this bottle come from?" He asked louder this time, tone demanding.  
  
"Someone left it on the porrrrrch! Someone left it on the porrrch!" They sang.  
  
Sam grabbed the bottle from Dean with a quickness and ran over and threw it into the sink, glass smashing loudly.  
  
Jody and Ellen both rounded the table. Looking at Sam. "What's going on?" Jodie asked. "Huh? What's going on with you?" When Sam didn't answer. She turned to Dean, who sat at the table with his head in his hands, rubbing his eyes with his palms. "Dean, what's going on in this house?" She demanded. Dean turned to look up at her, hand covering his mouth. He stayed quiet. "Something's going on, I can smell it!" She hissed.  
  
"It's a very distinct smell." Ellen added. "It's the smell of complete bullshit."  
  
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Dean replied flatly with a shrug.  
  
Just then the broom hit the mahogany floors with a loud thud, startling the four of them as they stood around. Sam shrieked and Dean jumped out of his chair.  
  
“Broom fell,” Jody said, a hint of terror in her voice. “Company’s coming.” she said looking toward Dean.  
  
“We had a problem, we handled it.” Dean blurted out, looking Jody.  
  
“We deserve an explanation.” Ellen demanded softly.  
  
The boys shared a look as they both tried to speak, but nothing came out.  
  
“Right.” Ellen replied curtly. “Come on, Jody. Let’s go.” She jutted her chin toward the other room. Ellen turned to leave the room, her sister following suit.   
  
“No.” Sam started shaking his head. “No. It’s not possible. Don’t even think it.” He hissed.  
  
“Then tell me how the fucking bottle got here, Sam?” Dean gritted out, gesturing to the sink.  
  
“It’s _not_ possible.” Sam reiterated.

* * *

  
“Leaving like this is a harsh lesson.” Jody told Ellen.  
  
“A lesson they have to learn on their own, Jody.” She explained, as she pulled up a board from one of the stair steps, revealing a hidden compartment.  
  
“What about Ben?” Jody asked.  
  
Ellen pulled a small box from the compartment and opened it. “Not to worry, Jody. A piece of Elizabeth’s hanging rope will protect him.” She added as she pulled a smaller piece of the rope apart from itself.  
  
Ben was sound asleep in his bed when the Aunt’s entered his room.   
  
Ellen gave him a gentle shake. “Ben?” She whispered. He laid unmoving, still snoring softly. “Ben?” She tried again after a few moments, but a little louder this time.  
  
“Wha-” He mumbled sleepily as he opened one of his eyes. He had school in a few hours. Who was waking him up? What the heck could they possibly want? He was in the middle of a really good dream. As he came to, he noticed that it was both aunts sitting on each side of him. So that’s why he felt the bed dip a few moments ago.  
  
He sat up against the headboard and finished rubbing the sleep from his eyes. “What’s wrong?” He asked groggily.  
  
“Your Father and Uncle Sam have somehow seemed to have gotten themselves in a bit of a mix up of some kind.” Jody explained. “We need you to put this on.” She said showing him the piece of rope. “You must promise us you won't take it off. Not until we come home.” She added.  
  
“We’ll only be gone for a few days.” Ellen reassured him.  
  
“You have to wear this until we come back.” Jody said again. “Do you hear us?” Ben nodded. “Promise?” She asked.  
  
“Promise.”

* * *

  
A few hours later Ben was in the kitchen whistling at the island as he ate his breakfast.  
  
Dean handed Sam a cup of hot coffee as he trudged down the stairs. “Make him shut up. I’ll do whatever it takes.” Sam said quietly as he walked over to lean against the sink to sip his morning coffee.  
  
“Hey.” Dean said trying to get Ben’s attention. He looked up at his dad expectantly. “Chill out with the whistling, Someone,” He threw a finger over his shoulder gesturing to the grumpy giant leaning against the counter. “Partied too hard last night.”  
  
“Where did you get that ugly thing around your neck?” Dean asked as he rounded the island and made his way to the cabinets, opening the drawers looking for something.  
  
“Aunt Ellen and Jody gave it to me. They said it would protect me.”  
  
“The guy under the roses, Dad.”  
  
Dean and Sam both moved to crowd the younger Winchester at the window. They looked out the window but didn’t see anyone. “I don’t see anyone, buddy.” He told him. “Are you looking at him now?’ He asked, getting kind of worried now.  
  
“Right there.” Ben pointed.  
  
“Where?” Sam asked, with more excitement that Dean thought was necessary.  
  
“By the roses. They grew overnight.”  
  
“Oh shit…” Sam muttered, looking to Dean.  
  
“Okay, man.” Dean said corralling the eight year old a few steps in the other direction. “You better call them. Now.” He hissed in what he thought was a whisper, but Ben turned to look up at his Dad.  
  
“But they left, Dad.” He told them.  
  
“What do you mean they left?” Sam and Dean both said in frantic unison. The two of the did it all the time. “Where did they go?”  
  
Ben rolled his eyes, “They said to give you a message.” Ben paused and looked at Dean.   
  
He stared back hoping for an answer. “Well,” Dean started. “You gonna tell us?”  
  
“Clean up your own mess.”   
  
Sam bolted out the greenhouse door and outside and ran to the huge bushel of roses that just magically appeared over night. (Hehe)  
  
“You son of a bitch!” He hissed in a whisper as he launched himself into the roses trying to rip them out of the ground with his bare hands.  
  
Dean ran after him. “Sam!”  
  
Sam continued to pull at the thick stems, feeling himself get stabbed with thorns in the process. “He’s making them grow, Dean!” He shouted. Dean tried to pull his brother away from the flowers. “He’s the one doing it, Dean! The fucker!”   
  
Dean wrapped his arms tightly around Sam and dragged him away, kicking and screaming.  
  
“Stop!” Dean shouted over him as he continued to yell. He tried to shove passed him, but Dean wasn’t having it. “Sam, Stop!” He shouted once more. He grabbed him by his huge biceps and shook him a little.  
  
Sam gasped trying to catch his breath as he settled down a little. He looked over Dean’s shoulder and his mouth fell open and his eyes went wide.  
  
“What?” Dean asked in confusion.  
  
“H-His-His boots, Dean! His boots.” He exclaimed.  
  
Dean turned around to see the tips of Gabriel’s boots protruding out of the soggy ground.  
  
“Oh, my God.” Sam gasped, backing away from Dean, still looking at the patch of ground where they had buried his ex-boyfriend. “I-is-is he rising?” Sam asked, voice shaking. He watched and gasped in shock as the boots sank back into the mud. He held onto Dean’s arm because he felt like he was going to double over. “Dean, is the ground sinking?”  
  
“Go.” Dean ordered softly as he pushed Sam toward the house.   
  
“Dean, he’s trying to get me.” He whispered as tears fell down his cheeks.  
  
“No!” Dean reassured him, as he turned him around and pushed him toward the house further. “Go watch Ben.” He told him.  
  
Dean was out in the roses with a pair of hedgeclippers, grunting as he chopped away at the offending roses in fury. He felt like more flowers were growing back in their place.   
  
“Kinda early for roses, ittnit?” An unfamiliar voice asked.  
  
Dean turned his head with a quickness to see who the fuck was trespassing on his property.   
  
Who the fuck was this guy?  
  
The man approached him and Dean dropped his hands to his sides, wiping the dirt away on his jean-clad thigh, still holding the hedgeclippers. “Can I help you?” He asked, trying desperately to keep his tone as polite as possible.  
  
“I sure hope so. My name is Castiel Novak, FBI, Kansas.” He introduced, flashing his badge. Dean could see his reflection in the clean, shiny metal.  
  
Well, shit.  
  
The guy - Castiel. What the fuck kind of name is that? - wore dark jeans and a light blue button down shirt with the sleeves rolled up to  his elbows. His hair was dark, some color between brown and black mused just slightly with Aviators perched atop his head. He sported a little stubble that looked like he hadn’t got a chance to shave in a few days. He had a nice jawline. He wasn’t the most fit, but it seemed like he had the perfect amount of muscle, that Dean noticed from the way the fabric stretched around his biceps. Dean wasn’t afraid to admit that he was really attractive.  
  
“You sure are uh, a long way from home Officer.” He said.  
  
“Yes, Sir.” He replied with a slight smirk. “I was uh, kinda hoping to talk to your brother, Samuel. If he’s around. He might have information about a case i’m currently working on.” He explained, not breaking eye contact with Dean.  
  
Dean nodded, “he’s in the house.” He told him. He started backing up toward the house. “I’ll uh, go get him.” He finished. He turned around just as he reached the stairs. “How did you know that I was his brother?” Dean asked curiously, narrowing his eyes.  
  
Castiel was crouched on the ground now, holding one of the roses to his nose and inhaling. He looked at Dean and shook his head. “Lucky guess.” He smiled.  
  
And wow. Why was Dean’s stomach doing flips? The guy just smiled is all.  
  
Dean slowly made his way up the stairs. He felt dumb making the guy wait out here. It would Probably make him feel awkward. “Why don’t you come inside for a bit?” He offered with a smile. 

* * *

  
Dean ran up the stairs and almost wiped out on Sam’s rug. “Sam!” He whispered loudly, so that he could hear him over the headphones in his ears. “Sam!” He approached him pulling them out of Sam’s ears.  
  
“Wha- Hey!” Sam protested. “What was that for?”  
  
“Sam there’s a FBI agent downstairs and he wants to talk to you about Gabriel and I think i’m having a heart attack.” Dean rushed really fast, cramming all his words together as he clutched his chested and exhaled.  
  
“Calm down.” Sam soothed as he looked up from his You and The Law 101 textbook. “Calm down.” He repeated to Dean, who was now pacing the floor. He waited patiently for him to catch his breath. “What is the question?” He didn’t give Dean time to answer. “The question is: how much can he possibly know?”  
  
“Well, fuck. Well he seems to know a helluva lot because he came all the way from fucking Kansas.” Dean explained, still breathing hard. “I know this sound really fucking weird.” He breathed. “But, I don't think I can lie to him.”  
  
“Of course you can lie to him!” Sam said, closing his textbook and standing up from the bed. “Wait. Wait. Wait.” He chased Dean arm with his arms to get him to stop before he grabbed his shoulders and looked him in the eyes. “Here’s the story: I left him because he hit me and we haven’t seen him since.” Dean said along with him. “and it’s as simple as that.” Sam beamed with a snap of his fingers. “And you're gonna let me handle the rest.”  
  
Good.” Dean replied.  
  
Alright?” Sam asked, reassuringly with a nod.  
  
“Yeah, Yeah.” Dean answered absentmindedly and started to walk away and continued to mumble to himself.  
  
“-Is he cute?” Sam asked.  
  
“What?” Dean asked as he turned on his heels, looking like a lost puppy.  
  
“Is he cute?”   
  
Dean blushed, feeling the heat spread through his cheeks. “Yes.” He answered with a whine as he threw his head back. “He’s really fucking cute.” He turned and made his way down the stairs as he repeated Sam’s made up story.  
  
When Dean returned from upstairs, Agent Novak was nowhere it be found. Except when Dean did a three-sixty spin to look around him, he noticed movement in the greenhouse and made his way over to the door and peaked out the window like he was eavesdropping or something. He watched him for a minutes as he rounded the table and took in his surroundings. He picked up a jar and shook it gently and eyed the contents inside.  
  
“S’just herbs.” He blurted out. Agent Novak startled, whipped his head around and looked at him. “Y’know, from the garden?” Dean added.  
  
“Oh.” He said sitting the jar on the table and walking toward Dean.  
  
Dean ran a hand through his hair and sighed. “So, uh, what brings you all the way to Maine?” He asked.  
  
Castiel stepped up into the kitchen and pulled something from his back pocket and held it out to the other man. “This.” He replied, turning around the envelope.  
  
That’s weird. Dean thought with a muffled laugh. How’d this dude get my letter I wrote my brother?  
  
Dean reached out to grab it but Castiel pulled it back and started running his fingers along the edges of it and turning it in his fingers. “You read my letter?” Dean asked, accusingly. Dean couldn’t seem to tear his gaze away from the nimble fingers.  
  
“Yes sir, I did.” It sounded so apologetic to Dean.  
  
“It was a very personal letter.” Dean said softly, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning against the cabinet.  
  
“Yes sir, it was.” Castiel nodded. He shoved the envelope back into the pocket of his jeans.  
  
Both men kept their gazes on each other for a long second. “How did-”   
  
“What?” Castiel asked, cutting him off  
  
They heard a whistled from the other side of the kitchen and both looked over simultaneously to find Sam descending the stairs. “Hey,” He greeted with a grin. Dean was right, this guy was really attractive.  
  
“Good morning, Mr. Winchester.” He greeted right back.  
  
Dean ducked his head in embarrassment and already started to feel the beginning of a blush on his face.  
  
“Good morning, Mr….”  
  
“Mr. Novak.” Castiel Supplied.  
  
“Novak.” Sam repeated.  
  
“Listen,” Castiel started as he hooked his thumbs in the belt loops of his jeans. “I’m not one to beat around the bush here, uh, I need to find your boyfriend, Gabriel Milton.”  
  
“I don’t know where he is.” Sam lied with a shake of his head.  
  
Castiel rounded the island stepping closer to Sam. Dean was definitely not checked out the way his jeans hugged his ass just right as he walked. He wasn’t.  
  
“I wouldn’t exactly call him my boyfriend, he’s more of a huge goddamn mistake, is what he is.” Sam added.  
  
Castiel pulled a pad and a pen out of his pocket as he studied Sam’s face. Noting the black eye and the busted lip he was currently sporting. “That his handiwork?” He gestured to Sam’s face.  
  
“Mhm.” Sam nodded the a smirk. “If a man hits me, he only does it once.” He said slowly, leaning over the island a little closer to Castiel. Castiel just looked at him.  
  
“Can I take a peek at your uh-” He trailed off pointing to the man’s palm. He held it out and Dean looked over his shoulder to shoot Sam a glare. Castiel saw it and stifled a laugh.  
  
“I can tell you’ve never touched anyone in anger in all your life.” Sam explained as he ran a finger down the man’s palm. Dean rolled his eyes and scowled at his brother as he left the room in a hurry. “Can I have my hand back please?” He asked before pulling it out of his grasp. He looked down at his notepad. “So, you’re telling me, you have no idea where Gabriel is?” He asked.  
  
“I told you, he hit me and I’ve seen him since.”   
  
“And when was that?” He asked not looking up for the pad.  
  
“Uh,” Sam’s eyes darted around the room and landed on Dean, who was now back in the kitchen. “Uh, four days at least.”  
  
“Four Days?” He asked as he began to shuffle around the kitchen. “Excuse me,” He told Sam. “Dean,” He started. Dean turned around quickly with pursed lips and wide eyes as he jutted his chin outward. “Who’s car is that out there in the driveway? The one with the Kansas plates?” He asked.  
  
“Uh, that’s Dean’s car.” Sam answered quickly with a smile.  
  
“Oh, that’s his car, huh?” He asked sarcastically. Sam nodded. “Plate number KAZ 2Y5?”   
  
Dean joined him in reciting the Impala’s plate number.  
  
Both Winchester’s nodded simultaneously. “That’s my car.” Dean repeated. “I moved back here after my wife passed. I just-- haven’t got around to getting new plates yet.” At least that wasn’t a lie. “But Gabriel basically kidnapped him from school,” Sam looked at his brother, eyes wide with fear and he stared at him and registered what he was saying. “And he dragged him all around the country and he-”  
  
“Whoa, whoa, whoa!” Castiel stepped closer to Dean and invaded his personal space, bringing a hand up to stop his rambling. He looked at Sam. “He kidnapped you?” He asked seriously.  
  
“No, no, no!” Dean blurted out, making Castiel turn back to him. “Sam took my car to school in California and Gabriel he just, a little nap- then he- they- t-to Kansas- and just the hitting- a-and-and the drinking- crazy! He’s fucking crazy! Th-this-th-this is completely insane- just all of it- a-a a crock of shit!” Dean rambled on and on with excessive hand gestures, without taking a breath. Dean laughed nervously and shook his head. “You should just know that he has the worst taste in men.”  
  
Castiel just looked at him weird, but nodded. He noticed that Dean had blood dripping down his neck and he ducked out of the way to grab a hand towel and just started dabbing at it softly as he continued to listen to the explanation.   
  
“So I picked him up and we drove back here in my car.” He laughed nervously again. “That’s my baby. I would never let anything happen to her.” He explained.  
  
“So basically, no one knows where he is?” Castiel asked as he pulled his hand away from Dean.  
  
“I’m sorry,” Dean replied shaking his head. “What?” He asked, confused. He obviously had not damn clue what was going on, on account of his crazy rambling.  
  
“Sorry.” Sam apologized, touching his fingertips to Agent Novak’s arm gently “He gets flustered around attractive people and is reduced to babbling on and on and on.” Sam explained.   
  
The red tint had returned to Dean’s face.  
  
He turned back to Dean. “You don’t have any idea where he might be?” He asked again.  
  
Dean pressed his lips together and shook his head.  
  
suddenly he had a face full of Sexy FBI Agent. He gasped loudly and Castiel just smiled. Dean pulled back a little and kept his eyes locked on him. “You wouldn’t mind if I took a look around, would you?” Castiel asked. His breath ghosting over Dean’s lips. He wanted to laugh, because it tickled, but now was not the time to flatter the Agent with his cuteness. Dean just nodded in response to the question.  
  
Castiel made his way out of the house.  
  
“What the hell is wrong with you?” Sam whispered to Dean with his scowl on his face.  
  
“I don’t know.” Dean shot back, barely above a whisper.  
  
“This young lady’s name was Kali Milton; his ex-wife.” Castiel explained as the three of them sat around the table as he showed them an abundance of various pictures. “Two years ago, she was found strangled, in their Witchita home. Her body had been marked with a kind of a brand.” He explained, holding up a picture. “Burned right into the flesh.” He continued. “Any help you fellas can give me in locating this ex-whatever the hell he is to you,” he turned to look at Sam. “Would surely be appreciated.” He finished. 

* * *

  
Castiel went around town the next few days questioning the towns people.  
  
“Go arrest him!” Shouted an elderly woman. “He owns a shop just right down the road there and they cook up a special concoction of some kind. That’s why the aunt’s don’t age!” She exclaimed. “I’m telling you!”  
  
Dean was eavesdropping on Agent Novak as he interviewed the townspeople about the Winchesters. Dean was currently crouched down behind and old beat up Chevy listening to their conversation and watching more people nod in agreement.  
  
This woman is clearly off her meds. That can’t possibly be true, but he jots it down anyway.  
  
“A Concoction?” He asked. “What exactly does this “concoction” consist of?”

* * *

  
“On Halloween they all jump off the roof and fly!” A little boy said.  
  
“When they get mad at you, they hex you!” Balthazar, the kid that Ben hexed with chicken pox told him.  
  
“I don’t know about the guy…but I wouldn’t be surprised if he ended up in a ditch somewhere along the highway." Meg Masters, Balthazar’s mother told Castiel.  
  
“Meg, That’s not true!” One of the other mom’s interrupted. “All Meg is saying is: they probably shook his hand and he just had a heart attack or something.”  
  
“If a man - or woman - those boys are queer!” She added in a whisper. “Falls under the spell of a Winchester, they lived briefly in the euphoria of their love until they were met with an untimely death.” The woman explained.   
  
“The curse?” Castiel asked. The woman nodded and went back to the book she was holding.

* * *

  
“Witch? Yeah.” Josie explained. “Evil? No.” She continued with various head gestures. “I mean, You get your psychos now and then. Animal slaughter, rituals, human disembowelment. That’s really not the Winchesters at all. It’s not Dean in the slightest.” Josie went on as Dean entered the shop. Josie turned her head and smiled at Dean as he entered. Castiel smiled and waved as well. The two of them continued talking as Dean walked back behind the counter. He kept his head ducked low as he had been listening to their conversation. His eyes flicked up just in time to meet Castiel’s just for a brief moment.   
  
“Mr. Winchester, I have a bone to pick with you.” Someone said behind him. Josie - to Dean’s dismay turned back to Agent Novak to finish telling him something and Dean turned his attention to the customer. “What can I do for you, Tara?” He asked as he stepped behind the counter, He asked with a small sigh. He set his coffee down next to him.   
  
“This lotion I bought the other day doesn’t work. It says that it’s for dry skin. So I just figured I was using too little of it, so I started using more and my skin just becomes more and more dry over time.” She explained.  
  
Castiel had walked over to the counter and was observing the way that Dean had handled this customer.  
  
“That’s because it’s not lotion.” Dean explained to her as he had started to stir his black coffee. He let the stir stick go and it continued to stir by itself.   
  
Castiel looked at the cup of coffee and back at Dean, who looked down at his coffee and quickly put a hand over the lid to stop the stirring.  
  
“If it’s not lotion, then what the hell is it?”  
  
Dean just stared at her kindly, with a slight smile tugging at his lips. He helped the woman out a little and she just looked at him with wide eyes and nodded.  
  
“Oh! I’m so sorry, Dean. I must’ve have forgotten.” She apologized as she scooped up the lotion and fled the shop.  
  
Castiel just looked at Dean and couldn’t help but chuckle. Dean met his gaze once more before Josie pushed a bag toward him at he started toward the door. “Strange town… never spent this much on shampoo before in my life.” He finished as he exited the shop, making yet again more eye contact with Dean as he shut the glass door behind him.  
  
Castiel was halfway down the sidewalk before a door slammed behind him.  
  
“Am I under some kind of surveillance?” Dean asked as he paced toward the Agent before stopping in front of him.  
  
“Should you be?” He asked.  
  
“Well, if there’s something you wanna know ask me.” Dean replied curtly as he folded his arms across his chest.   
  
Castiel just chuckled. “I already did. And there just seems to be something missing in your guys’ story.” He explained as he too folded his arms across his chest. “Now listen, I wanna talk to you some more. I gotta finish up here." He explained, looking and gesturing around his surroundings. Dean guessed he meant the town. Castiel looked back at Dean. "How about I come by your house tomorrow morning?” He asked.  
  
“Fine.” Dean said with a short shake of his head. The guy wanted to know more, he’d tell him.  
  
Castiel nodded. “11 A.M.?” He asked with a smirk.  
  
“Fine.”  
  
“Okay, It’s a date.” Castiel replied before he walked away.  
  
Dean couldn’t help but watch as he left.

* * *

  
Sam tossed and turned in his sleep, he felt like his skin was on fire. He was moaning in discomfort. He woke seconds after and padded across his room and pulled the balcony doors open, a strong gust of wind blowing through his long, brown locks as he pulled his Stanford hoodie over his head. He looked around at the ground below, at the bushel of roses that he and his brother had buried the man under.   
  
“Gabriel, is that you?” He muttered to himself, still looking around in fear. “Go away… Go away..” He whispered again.  
  
Sam kept his eyes on his surroundings as he backed slowing into his room before shutting the double glass doors behind him.

* * *

  
“--To banish unwanted persons, it says you need Blessing Seeds.” Ben told Sam as he poked at the spellbook.  
  
“Alright.” Sam said as turned around facing the cabinet of minerals and herbs. Sam mumbled to himself as he searched for the jar, reading the labels. “What about Nigellus?” He asked as he turned to Ben.  
  
“Same thing.” Ben told him as he walked over to the double swinging doors to check to see if his Dad was coming.  
  
“It is?” He asked, not expecting the boy to answer him. “Wow, it is.” He said to himself. “you’re good at this. How did you know that?”  
  
Ben just shrugged, “Daddy.” He replied turning back to the counter and putting the book down. “Hey Uncle Sammy?” Ben started.  
  
“Yeah?” Sam looked up at his nephew.  
  
“Why can’t we tell Daddy that we’re sending that Secret Agent guy away?” He asked curiously pursing his lips.  
  
“Because your Daddy likes to pretend he doesn’t do magic, so we have to banish this man for his own good.” Sammy explained to him in a sarcastic tone.  
  
Ben looked down and noticed a black and white composition notebook.He picked it up and idly started to flip through it. He raised it up and turned it around before asking, “was this Daddy’s?”  
  
Sam turned around to look at him, then down to see what was in his hands. Dean’s spellbook. “Oh, wow. Where did you get that?” His voice had raised an octave higher in surprise before gently grabbing it out of Ben’s hands.  
  
“They will be the perfect cook, have amazing blue eyes, hear my call a mile away.” Sam read aloud to himself. He huffed a laugh before smiling.  
  
“Was it about Mommy?” Ben walked back to the counter from the door. No one was coming just yet.  
  
Sam hesitated for a few second then nodded, “yeah, yeah.”  
  
“But Mommy had brown eyes.”  
  
Sam just looked at the eight year old. “You know um, the truth is, this wasn’t about your mommy.” Sam explained shaking his head as he held the notebook in his grasp. “This is when your Daddy was younger and he was trying to come up with someone that didn’t exist so he would never fall in love. To protect himself.” He laughed and looked at Ben. “It’s crazy, really. But you know he loved your mommy, so very very much.”  
  
“I can’t wait to fall in love.” Ben announced excitedly as he pranced over to the door again to see if the coast was clear.  
  
Sam’s movements came to an abrupt stop as he looked up at the boy. “Ben.” He muttered under his breath and huffed a laugh. Ben looked at him. “Ben, listen to me, do you ever hold your arms out and spin around really fast?” He asked, twirling his index finger in small circles.  
  
He giggled and nodded, “I do it all the time.”  
  
“You do? Well, that’s what love is like.” Sam explained. “It makes your heart race. It turns your world upside down, but if you don’t keep your eyes open, keep them on something still, you’ll lose your balance.” Sam told him. “You can’t see what’s happening to the people around you. You can’t see that you’re, uh, that you’re about to fall..”  
  
“Don’t be sad Uncle Sammy,” Ben soothed as he wiped away the tears with a chubby thumb.  
  
Just then the doorbell rang out and echoed through the entire house. Ben looked at Sam and started jumping up and down. “He’s here! He’s here, Uncle Sam!”  
  
“Shh!” Sam soothed gripping the boy’s shoulders. “Go stall him until i’m finished.” And the boy ran off.  
  
Ben ran to the huge front door before turning the knob and swinging it open. Castiel was leaning lazily against the frame of the door and smiled down at the boy. “You came for lunch. We’re making burgers.” Ben pointed out excitedly.  
  
“Actually, I just came to talk to your Father. Is he here by chance?” The older man asked with a chuckle.  
  
“Great! He’s having lunch too! Come in, come in!” Ben squealed loudly as he pulled the Agent into the house by his wrist.  
  
Castiel huffed a laugh and let himself stumble into the large foyer as the kid slammed the door. “Do you have a gun?” He asked, turning to look at Castiel.  
  
“Mhm.” Castiel hummed in response with his lips pressed firmly together.  
  
“Can I see it?”  
  
Castiel’s head turned to the side as he heard the stairs creak. Dean stood on the platform, arms folded across his chest, looking down at Castiel. “Nuh huh.” Castiel shook his head before turning his gaze back to Ben.  
  
“He’s here for lunch!” Ben said before running off.  
  
“I have a few questions.” Castiel said looking up at Dean. His hand shoved deep in his pockets.  
  
  
“He’s gonna stay!” Ben announced as he swung the doors open, looking at Sam.  
  
“Good, good!” Stall them for as long as possible.” Sam instructed. 

* * *

  
Castiel stepped foot into the greenhouse and immediately picked up a jar, studying it carefully.  
  
“Belladonna.” Dean said softly as he stopped at the doorway. He crossed his arms over his chest again. “It’s a sedative, used to calm your nerves, some put it in their tea to relax a little.” Dean explained slowly.  
  
Castiel glanced up at him then back at the jar, before slamming it down on the countertop “Some people also use it as a type of poison.” He pointed out curtly.  
  
Dean stepped down and made his way to the man. “Which people?” Dean asked, trying not to smile.  
  
Castiel barked out a laugh. *”Which people.”* He repeated pointing a finger at Dean to make a point. “Witch people. Witches.” He said with a smug smile.  
  
Dean nodded as a smile tugged at his lips. “I guess you found me out, huh?” He asked, stepping closer to the Agent.  
  
“Yes, I did.” Castiel nodded, blue eyes following Dean as he walked.  
  
“You should come around on Halloween.” Dean suggested with a  grin. “You’d really see something then.”  
  
“Yeah?” The Agent asked locking eyes with the witch.  
  
“Yeah, Man. We all jump off the roof and fly. We kill our spouses as well.” Dean explained as he walked around him. “Or is that outside your jurisdiction?” He asked. Castiel could hear the small tone of sarcasm in his voice.  
  
Castiel’s eyes still followed Dean’s as he twisted his body. He leaned against the countertop, butt coming to rest on the very edge. “Do you know how strange all this sounds to me?” He asked seriously. “People tell me that you’re up here making potions that don’t let you age over time, you’re into devil worship.”  
  
Dean shook his head and his smile faded. “No. There is no devil worship in the craft.” He explained.  
  
“So what kind of craft do you do?” Castiel asked.  
  
“Me?” Dean asked, gesturing to himself. “What kind do I do?” Castiel nodded. “I just sell lotions and shampoos and body oils. The Aunt’s like to meddle in people’s love lives.” Dean explained with a nod while chewing on his lip. Castiel was so close he could smell the coconut shampoo that the man had bought at the shop the day prior. Castiel looked at him fondly and listened as he continued. “Magic isn’t just spells and potions… Your badge?” Dean asked and Castiel just looked at him before finally pulling his badge out of his back pocket. Dean took it, flipping it open and swiping his thumb across the metal. “It’s just a star,” He explained, holding it up to Castiel’s face so he could see his reflection in it. “Just another symbol. Your Talisman. You can’t “stop criminals in their tracks.” He joked, admiring the badge. Castiel watched that smile fall upon the man’s mouth yet again. God, he enjoyed it. “It has power because you believe it does.”   
  
Castiel took the badge from Dean, making their fingers brush together in the process. He slipped it back into his pocket as Dean leaned forward, breathe ghosting hot against the shell of his ear. “I wish you could believe in me.” He whispered, before pulling back slowly with a lazy smile. Dean stepped past him and made his way back into the house.  
  
“Mr Winchester, are you hiding Gabriel Milton?” He asked casually.  
  
Dean turned as he stepped up into the kitchen. “Not in this house.’ He said softly.  
Castiel stepped closer, merely inches from Dean’s face. Dean could feel his breath hit his lips and he bit back a gasp. “Did you or your brother kill Gabriel Milton?” He asked in a hushed tone.  
  
Dean nodded, “Oh yeah. A few times.” The sarcasm bounced off of Castiel as he stood there dumbfounded, eyes darting around the room in confusion as Dean walked off. 

* * *

  
Dean walked across the huge kitchen to see his son at the stove trying to stir the vegetables.  
  
“Ben, could you make more of a mess?” He asked.  
  
Ben turned around and looked at Dean. “Dad, i’m helping you cook!”   
  
Dean chuckles as he wipes the splattered grease away on the stove next to the griddle. “I can see that.”   
  
Just as Ben was ready to go back to flipping the burgers on the griddle Castiel popped up beside Ben. “Hey there,” He smiled down at the boy standing on the step stool.  
  
“Hi.” Ben replied happily.  
  
“What’cha makin’?” Castiel asked.  
  
“Burgers,” He beamed. “They’re Dad’s favorite.” He added as an afterthought.   
  
“Well,” Castiel started as he leaned on his forearm against the counter so he could get better look at the boy. “I make pretty mean burgers myself.” It took a second for Ben to look at him and when he did Castiel just smiled at him and leaned in with a hand shielding the side of his mouth. “I bet he’s never tasted a burger as good as mine.” He told the boy confidently before locking eyes with Dean, who blushed upon hearing the “secret” that was being shared.  
  
Ben shakes his head, “nah. I doubt it. He’s tasted some pretty good burgers.”  
  
The comment made Castiel laugh. “May I?” He jutted his head toward the metal spatula in Ben’s hand. Ben handed the utensil over then jumped off the stool before kicking it out of the way. Dean scurried off behind them to get plates and everything ready.  
  
Castiel added his Mama’s secret ingredient to the semi-raw patties on the griddle before letting them cook all the way through. Ben bounced in excitement as he watched. “So, what’s your name again?” He asked curiously, cocking his head to the side a bit.  
  
“Castiel.”  
  
Ben scrunched his face up in confusion and tried to pronounce the name silently in his head.   
  
“That’s hard to say.” He admitted.  
  
Castiel laughed and nodded as he started to pile the cooked burgers onto the plate. “ It is - could you slap some cheese on these, man? - but you can Call me Cas. It’s much easier than trying to say my whole name.”  
  
Ben opened some cheese slices and put them on the patties. He picked a small corner from one one them and threw it into his mouth. His eyes went wide in surprise. Was that cinnamon and sugar? On cheeseburger? He quickly jumped off the stool, and almost slipped on the floor in the process. He ran through the double doors were Sam was. “The perfect cook!” He announces in a loud whisper. “He’s the perfect cook.”  
  
Sam was probably shaking the banishing stuff into the ketchup bottle he had in his hands. “Tell your Dad i’ll be out in a minute!” The last few words floating out the doors behind Ben.  
  
Ben ran outside to find Cas and his dad setting up lunch around the circular table just outside in the side yard.   
  
Cas turned to look to see how was behind him. “ I assume you don’t want burgers.” He teased as he divide them amongst the four of them.  
  
“I want some! I want some.” Ben chanted with a laugh.  
  
Castiel joined him in laughing as well as he slid a patty onto Ben’s plate before he trailed off whistling Ramble On.  
  
Ben picked up on the tune immediately and jerked his head up in surprised, his dark brown eyes as wide as saucers. “Dad’s song…” He mumbled to himself.  
  
The dark haired man must’ve heard him because he was looking at him expectantly. “Huh?”  
  
“Oh!” Ben answered with  more enthusiasm than he wanted. “N-nothing. Nothing. I was just thinking out loud, sorry.” He apologized.  
  
Dean appeared once again with paper towels and handed one to Ben, then to Castiel as he sat down next to Ben.  
  
Ben somehow managed to pull Cas’ badge out of his back pocket before he sat down. “A star.” He whispered to himself.  
  
“That.” Dean started as he snatched the badge out of his son’s hands. “Doesn’t belong to you, sir.” He told him as he handed it back to Cas. “Sorry.” He apologized, looking at Cas longer than expected.  
  
“It’s alright, I don’t mind.” Castiel smiled fondly at the light haired man.  
  
“Well, isn’t this cozy?” Sam asked as he exited the house with a bottle of ketchup and mustard heading toward the table. “Hi, Cas. I can call you Cas can’t I?”  
  
Dean rolled his eyes. Suck up.  
  
Cas nodded and smiled at the man. “Of course.”  
  
Sam took a seat next to Dean and held the ketchup out to Cas. “Please tell me you eat ketchup on your burgers, dude!” Sam exclaimed with a sly smirk.  
  
Ben was busy studying Cas’ badge. Really? How the hell did he get ahold of it again? He looked up momentarily before focusing back on the badge. He looked up in horror as he threw the badge on the table with a clank before grabbing the ketchup. “No, no, no!” He yelled as he stood up and ran to the edge of the yard on the side of the cliffs, The three adults followed him - one in anger, two in confusion and curiosity. He chucked the bottle as hard as he could manage into the rocky waters below. He smiled and did a little victory dance for his good deed.  
  
Dean looked at Cas and shrugged, “I guess he doesn’t like ketchup today…”   
  
Castiel just chuckled, “I guess so.”  
  
Sam just shook his head and sulked back to the table. “Your son is a pain in my ass.” He muttered when he passed Dean. Dean started to laugh, but it was cut short by the sound of a bird choking on something. All three heard it and inched closer in confusion. They watched as as it continued to choke for a few second Then out of it’s mouth bounced a ring. Sam looked at his brother.   
  
Sam leaned down to get a closer look, because it couldn’t be possible that that was what he thought it was. Was it? “Oh, my God.”  
  
Castiel picked it up with a napkin, slowly and carefully before holding it up toward the sun to observe it better.  
  
“This--Th-th-this is a-a fucking joke, right?” Sam sputtered. “I’ve been looking for that for days.”  
  
Cas looked between the two brothers and held the ring up and nodded toward it. “S’your ring isn’t it?” Sam nodded. His gaze went back and forth, noting their laughter. “What exactly do you two think you’re fucking doing, huh?” He asked as his hands came to rest on his hips.   
  
Dean just stared at said hips. Damn those hands and those hips both. I bet damn good and well he’s broken a few headboards in his time. Hell, He could break mi-- what the hell? Dean shook himself from his fantasies and focused for on the problem at hand. Oh, right! Getting scolded--and possibly arrested by a sexy, irritated, dark haired, blue eyed FBI agent for murder.  
  
What do you mean?” Sam asked dumbly.   
  
“You two better get yourselves a helluva good fuckin’ lawyer and don’t even think about leaving town.” Cas hissed before turning to leave, with the ring. “The fuck was in that ketchup anyway?” He asked with a grimace, turning back to look at Sam one last time before getting his badge off the table and leaving.  
  
Dean cocked his head and shot his brother a confused look.  
  
“I said we have to stick to our story, y’know? No body. No crime.” Sam said, following the eldest Winchester into the house with the extra dirty plates. Dean sat the plate of burgers on the counter and pulled plastic wrap out of the cabinet and wrapped them before he placed them in the fridge.  
  
Sam squeezed behind him and dropped the stack of plates he held. Dean jumped and turned around to see broken shards of glass on the floor. He huffed an indignant sigh and pinched the bridge of his nose.  
  
Sam bent down quickly to clean up the mess. “Sorry,” He sighed in frustration. “I haven’t been sleeping lately. I feel like complete shit.”  
  
Dean dragged himself across the room to grab the broom to start sweeping up the glass. “ I. Me. Mine.” He muttered. “Is that all you can ever think about, Sam? Your fucking self?” Dean snapped.  
  
Sam dropped the glass her had in his hands back to the floor with a loud thud before throwing his hands up in mock surrender. “I don’t wanna fight..” He whispered softly as he walked away.  
  
“Don’t you fucking walk away!” Dean hissed, still sweeping the floor.  
  
Sam stomped loudly up the staircase like a child.  
  
“I’m fucking sick of always cleaning up your fucking messes!” Dean shouted.  
  
Sam stopped on the first platform of the winding staircase and turned on his heels. “Yeah, Dean.” He huffed a laugh. “You’re right! I’m a just a walking, talking mess! Just this big fucking mess, that you constantly have to pick up after.” He explained, descending the stairs once more. He came to a stop in front of Dean who had been sweeping the glass into the dust pan. “At least i’ve lived my life and you hate me for it because it scars the living shit out of you!”  
  
Dean stood up and looked at Sam and dug a finger into his chest. “I don’t fucking hate you, Sam.” He hissed through clenched teeth. His jaw was starting to hurt from grinding his teeth together.  
  
“Look at you!” Sam gestured. “You spend all your damn time trying to be “normal”, but you’ll never fit in! Because if you haven’t fucking noticed, we’re different, and so is your son.” He explained loudly.  
  
Dean dropped the dustpan to the floor and turned around sharply and jabbed his finger toward Sam. “Don’t!” He snapped. “Don’t you fucking bring him into this!” He shouted, voice shaky as if he was almost of the verge of tears.  
  
“Y’know? All my life I wished that I had half your talent, you’re wasting yourself, Dean!” He laughed gruffly throwing his hands in the air. “When was the last fucking time you cast?” He ask bitterly. He waited quietly for a response. “See? You can’t fucking remember.”  
  
“You know what?” Dean started curtly after he had emptied the glass into the trash. “I want you out of here. I want you gone.”   
  
Sam nodded once and folded his huge arms across his chest, not even giving Dean the slightest flinch. “Okay, fine. I’m gone. I’ll hop on the next flight to Cali if you want.” Sam suggested softly.  
  
“Good.” Dean replied walking over to the post of the staircase where his jacket was hanging. He shimmed into it and looked at Sam.  
  
A look of worry spread across Sam’s face. “Where are you going?” He asked softer than before.  
  
“I’m doing what I think is right.” Dean explained as he grabbed the Impala keys out of the bowl on the counter.  
  
“No, no, no! you are not gonna go run your mouth and tell him what happened!” Sam was raising his voice again.  
  
“Y’know, Sam from the moment that that man stepped foot into this house, that’s all I seem to want to do.” Dean explained.  
  
“What are you gonna do? Beg for mercy?” Sam asked as he grabbed Dean by the shoulders to stop him.  
  
Dean shoved him away, “you want me to be true to myself, huh?” He asked, a little out of breath. “Then fucking watch me.” Dean walked out the door and slammed it shut behind him, the windows of the kitchen shook as he exited.  
  
Sam watched him walk away and as soon as Dean was out the door a pain of some kind shot through his stomach. He winced and grabbed the counter with the hand that hadn’t been clutching tightly to his stomach, so he wouldn’t fall over. “Dean.” He practically whined.  
  
  
Dean wasn’t a runner at all. but he sprinted through the yard and around the corner as soon as he got a few blocks away from the house he realized he grabbed the keys to the Impala, “dammit!” He gasped as he bent over to catch some air. Cas was just a few feet in front of him, so he jogged to catch up with him.  
  
“It was Gabriel’s ring.” Dean blurted out as he slowed down getting closer to the Agent.  
  
“Oh really?” His tone sounded a bit sarcastic and why the hell was he continuing to walk? Why the fuck is he speeding up?  
  
“I know you knew that, I-I-I need to tell you, I wanted to tell you.” Dean’s calves were sore and his breath was coming out in harsh, uneven pants, Cas could do him a solid and maybe slow the fuck down a little bit.  
  
“Yeah? Well I was serious back there.” He started, “You better get yourself a lawyer before you talk to me.” He turned around slightly to look at Dean and continued to walk at a brisk pace.  
  
“I don’t want a lawyer.” Dean told him, grabbing his arm to stop him from walking. Cas leaned against a motel door and just looked at him for what Dean thought was longer than necessary.   
  
Cas nodded. “Alright.” He turned and pulled his room key out of his pocket and unlocked the door and invited Dean in before he entered the room himself.  
  
The room wasn’t that big, A queen size bed, A small flat screen on the wall, a desk, a dresser, a few other things, A closet and a bathroom. Dean looked around as he walked in. Castiel sure did clean up after himself. Dean liked that. He’s sort of a neat freak himself. There were papers and things shrewn across the the entire width of the desk. Dean looked closer, trying not to make it obvious that he was snooping. Gabriel Milton, The tab on the manilla folder read. The door slammed shut just then.  
  
“Have a seat.” Castiel gestured to the desk chair as he opened the nightstand drawer and pulled out his iPhone. Dean thought it might have been to record his statement.  
  
Castiel was quick to make his way over to the desk to clear a spot of Dean, so he didn’t feel like he was cluttered. He moved a few documents and pictures out of the way and Dean glance down to noticed the letter he had written to Sam about a week ago. He reached for it slowly and Cas watched his movements. Dean looked over the letter, front and back before glancing up at him from the chair he just took a seat in. “How many times have you read this?” His voice soft and hesitant.  
  
“A few.” Castiel answered honestly.  
  
This guy! Dean though as he huffed a laugh. “A few times” my ass, the entire fucking page is worn out and damn near wrinkled. Fucking liar. You read it more than a few times, he thought.  
  
“I’ve studied all of the evidence.” He said grabbing his phone and unlocking it. He tapped his voice record app and then tapped the record button. “This is the Testimony of Dean Winchester on the disappearance of Gabriel Milton. May 18, 2015.” Cas held the phone loosely in his hand as he sat on the edge of the bed. “Where is Gabriel Milton?” He asked slowly, looking at Dean.  
  
Dean didn’t look at him. He couldn’t. He didn't even know why, “I think he’s in the spirit world.”  
  
Cas nodded. “You think he’s dead?”  
  
“No,” Dean shook his head, ”I think he’s haunting us.” He finally looked at Castiel as he unfolded his letter. “What evidence did you get from this?” He asked softly.  
  
Castiel didn’t answer his question. Instead he came back with his own; “Did you or your brother kill Gabriel Milton?” He asked leaning forward, all his weight on his knees.  
  
“Sammy didn’t kill anyone.” Dean answered.  
  
“Sam didn’t, but you did.” It was more on an assumption rather than a question. “Huh? Did you?” He asked. “Dean, did you?” He asked softer and began to reach for Dean’s hand, but Dean was across the room before he even got to grab it.  
  
Dean paced the floor a few times before turning back to look at Castiel. He folded his arms across his chest,”What if I told you I did kill him? What would you do?” Dean asked. Castiel just looked at him, perplexed. “What? Would you send me to prison for the rest of my life all because the world was short of a man like Gabriel Milton?”  
  
Castiel shook his head. “It’s not for you and me to decide how you should be punished.” Castiel pushed off the bed and stepped closer to Dean at stared at him before he replied. “Dean, he has to be held accountable.” Cas explained.  
  
“He has been punished.” The witch admitted.  
  
“He has?” Castiel asked, just inches away from Dean’s face.  
  
Castiel sighed and looked down at his phone before stopping the recording. “You really should get a lawyer before we continue any of this.” He suggested. Castiel tossed his phone on the bed and looked back at Dean. “Now, listen.” He started. There he goes stepping into my personal space again. What that hell is it with this guy? “I know you’re in some kind of trouble, alright? But if you can trust me, tell me what you know, I promise you, I will do everything I can to keep you safe.” He explained, as he reached up and caressed Dean’s cheek with his thumb.   
Dean’s couldn’t help but melt into his touch. That’s when Castiel closed the remaining space between them and crushed their mouths together in a searing kiss. Dean instantly wrapped his arms around Castiel’s neck, allowing himself to be shoved against the wall. Although Dean was the same height and size as the agent he somehow managed to wrap his legs around the man’s waist so they were comfortably pressed against each other as Dean eagerly slid his tongue into Cas’ mouth.  
  
Cas kissed down Dean’s jaw and along his neck as he quickly fumbled with Dean’s belt with nimble fingers. He managed to get his belt and pants undone before sliding his hand in Dean’s pants, cupping him gently as he started to stroke at the witches length through the cotton fabric of his boxers.  
  
Dean gasped at the contact and broke the kiss as he pulled Cas’ hand from the confines of his jeans. “I can’t, I can’t.” Dean panted, breathlessly. “I can’t, Cas.” He nearly whined.  
  
He can’t do this again. Not again. Not with Castiel. Castiel didn’t deserve the untimely demise that came with being in love with a Winchester. Dean couldn’t handle going through that again.  
  
“I’m sorry, i’m sorry, i’m sorry.” Cas apologized profusely and he ducked his head down and rested it against the other man’s chest.  
  
Dean cradled Castiel’s face in his hands, running his fingers through the soft brown hair atop his head before he raised the other man’s head upward to kiss him once more.  
  
Dean’s arms were around his neck again and Castiel was hoisting him up on his hips and spinning them around and Dean’s legs buckled as they came in contact with the bed, making Castiel collapse on top of him.   
  
The two of them rolled around on the bed as Castiel was yet again trying to snake his hand into Dean’s jeans as he mouthed at Dean’s bare neck. Dean cupped his face in his hands and kissed him a little more before the pulled away softly, panting.  
  
He looked at Castiel’s eye’s closely. He hadn’t been this close to him before. “The most amazing blue eyes….” He mumbled to himself.  
  
Castiel looked at him with spit-slick,swollen,red lips. Dean pushed him gently to the side and jumped off the bed to button his jeans. “I gotta go.”  
  
“What?” Castiel asked, still on the bed.  
  
Dean already slammed the door.

* * *

  
Dean was already headed toward the house, via the path in the woods. The wind had already started to pick up and it was beginning to get dark.  
  
“Daddy..” He heard Ben’s voice. He turned around to see if his son was right behind him. No one was there.  
  
He heard soft whining and painful laughter. “Dean…I need you.” It sounded broken.  
  
“No, no, no! Sammy!” Dean shook his head and began to sprint the rest of the way through the woods. He tripped a few times, nearly breaking his ankles more than once, before he swung the back door open and bolted up the stairs like he was being chased by someone that wanted him dead.  
  
He heard Ben trample down the stairs, meeting him in the middle. “Dad! Daddy! Daddy!” His voice was racked with high pitch sobs. His face was wet with tears as he forced himself to stand up right to get as far away from Uncle Sam as possible. Something was wrong with him and Ben was scared to death. He collided with Dean and about knocked him down an entire flight of stairs, but Ben pulled him into a tight hug before it could even happen.  
  
Dean hugged him tightly with just a little more strength before he pulled him back to look at him. “What’s wrong, Ben?” He asked sternly, his voice filled with worry.  
  
“Uncle Sammy!” He cried.  
  
Dean kissed his head and pushed passed him. “Okay, go downstairs.”  
  
He finally reached the top of the stairs that lead to Sam’s room. He was met by a whirling sound that sounded like…..a ghost? He lifted his gaze to Sam who was lying on the bed, moaning in pain. The top half of him partially levitating in the air like something was trying to exit his body. He slammed back on the mattress with a loud groan. Dean was inching closer but was stopped by an arm.  
  
Castiel? When the fuck did he get here?  
  
He had his gun drawn and he pushed Dean behind him walking toward Sam.  
  
Sam raised up again with a painful groan as what looked like dust particles started to float out of his body. They were forming a shape of some kind. Sam’s body fell back onto the mattress. unmoving.  
  
Gabriel.  
  
Dean and Castiel  stared in awe, like they couldn’t believe their eyes.  
  
Well Dean could believe his because, he’s seen some weird shit like this a few times. But Castiel was a different story. The poor guy looked scared shitless standing there, huge blue eyes opened wide in horror, jaw dropped to the floor.  
  
Dean was getting ready to move to see if his baby brother was okay, but Castiel held him back.   
  
The ghost or demon thing. It. Gabriel, whatever the hell he was now, rolled his neck as he smiled at Cas, who was now making his way slowly across the floor. “Agent Novak.” Castiel stared at him as he got closer. “Just looking at you makes me homesick.” He drawled slowly.  
  
Dean started to slowly slide down the wall to get to his brother, hoping that Gabriel wouldn’t notice.  
  
Gabriel stood up from the bed and took a step forward into Castiel’s space. Dean heard a bull blowing air from his nostrils? How the ever loving fuck? Gabriel stepped to the side and Castiel followed suit raising his gun to the man.   
  
Castiel glanced back to look at Dean to make sure he was alright then he shifted his gazed and concentrated on Gabriel.  
  
Gabriel shook his head and “Tsk tsk tsk.” He said clicking his tongue. “What’s wrong? Cat got your tongue?” He asked Cas.  
  
Dean finally, finally made it over to Sam and dropped to his knees and began to caress his arm.   
  
Gabriel stared at Castiel a second longer before he reached out and shoved his fist through his chest. Castiel screamed in pain as Gabriel turned and twisted his arm inside his chest. Sam and Dean both gasped in unison, hiding theirs faces in each others necks.  
  
Dean looked up seconds later to see Castiel on his knees. His face was blood red and his veins were protruding his neck. Gabriel dug around inside of him like he was searching for something. He winced and pulled back quickly like he had been burned.  
  
Castiel feel to the floor face first. His badge falling next to him as he watched Gabriel groan and wince in pain. He gripped his wrist like it would stave off the pain. He studied it carefully.  
  
Castiel’s badge had burnt through his hand.  
  
Gabriel stared down at Cas in disbelief. Castiel reached for his badge and held it up toward Gabriel’s face.  
  
Gabriel glanced at his reflection in the metal and dissolved into some type of black hole looking thing.  
  
Castiel smiled and looked at his badge then back at Dean and his brother.  
  
Sam was panting at the ceiling trying to catch his breath and Dean was clutching his chest tightly like he just experienced a heart attack. Castiel shoved his badge into the inside pocket of his jacket. “One day, you’re going to explain this all to me.” Castiel said breathlessly to no one in particular, even though he knew it was meant for Dean to hear.  
  
Sam curled into Dean’s chest and Dean just hugged him tightly.

* * *

  
Castiel was sitting on the patio chewing his fingernails to the nub. he looked up to see Dean walking toward him.  
  
“What the fuck was that, Dean?” He asked, both terrified and curious. “That was him wudn’it?” He looked up at Dean as he just stood there motionless with his arms at his sides.  
  
“Was I-- I-is he gone, or what?” Castiel asked as he started to get up from the ground.   
  
Dean nodded, “Yes. We killed his spirit but,” He paused, taking a shaky breath. “But i’m the one who took his life.” He nodded. “I will tell you everything you need to know. I’ll tell you how I did it. I’ll tell you how I buried him, What I did it with…” He explained shakily, with all these different hand gestures as he began to walk away. “I’ll tell you how I--”  
  
Castiel stopped in front of him “Whoa, whoa, whoa! Hey, Hey! Hold on.” He ordered. “Hold on just a just a goddamn second.” He held his hand up to stop Dean from talking. “Alright? One thing at a time.” He suggested. Dean just blinked at him, waiting for him to speak again. “I took a damn oath to uphold the Law, alright? I thought I came here to bring in the bad guy.” Now he was pointing and jabbing fingers and getting in Dean’s face. “Because generally, that’s what  do.” He explained, stepping away for a brief moment, probably to catch his breath. He walked about foot or so away before he came back with a deep sigh. “You asked me how many times I read your letter?” He had calmed down a bit. Dean nodded. “I must’ve read it about a million times.” Dean kept his green eyes on Cas’ blue one’s as he continued to speak. “I know that it was your letter more than anything else that brought me here. It was you.” He ran a hand over his mouth and exhaled, shaking his head. “And i’m all fucking mixed up about it.”  
  
Dean eyes quickly began to fill with tears and Castiel noticed as he sighed. “The reason that you’re here and you don’t know why,” he took another breath. “Is because; I sent for you.”  
  
Castiel looked at the other man, with a perplexed look plastered on his gorgeous face, searching tear-filled green eyes for an answer. When he didn’t find one, Dean took a breath. “When I was younger,” He paused and sniffled, trying to hold back his tears. “I worked a spell. So I would never fall in love.” He smiled softly at Castiel and almost laughed because of how stupid Castiel thought he must’ve sounded. “I asked for qualities in someone that, I knew couldn't possibly exist.” He continued to explain, not even caring that his voice was cracking.  
  
“The most amazing blue eyes?” Castiel asked softly, running his fingers through the back of Dean’s hair.  
  
“But you do.” Dean replied in a whispered, looking at Cas, as tears ran down his cheeks.  
  
Dean bounced back quickly and wiped his eyes as Castiel grinned from ear to ear as he tried to stifle his laughter. “You’re telling me that the only thing i’m feeling is, one of your spells?” He asked.  
  
Dean nodded and looked at him with pursed lips, “Yeah, it’s not real.” He could hear the hint of sadness hiding in his tone somewhere and he was sure Castiel could hear it as well. “And if you stayed, I wouldn’t know if it was because of the spell. And you wouldn’t know if it was because I didn’t want to go to prison.”  
  
“Yeah, well, all relationships have problems.” He said. Dean laughed a little. Castiel was probably trying to lighten the mood a little.  
  
Dean looked at him again and bit his lip. He was going to cry again. “I’m right aren’t I?” He asked. He swallowed hard, adam’s apple bobbing. Castiel looked at the ground. “You don’t know do you?” He asked.  
  
Castiel hesitated, he felt a smile beginning to form on his lips, but he looked at the ground again until it passed, then looked back at Dean. “Well, why don’t you do what you do? And I do what I do? We’ll see where we end up?” He suggested.   
  
Dean nodded sadly.  
  
“Okay?”   
  
Dean glanced at him for nearly half a millisecond and  gave him a small tight lipped smiled, before returning his gaze to the ground. “‘Kay…” He whispered brokenly.  
  
Castiel leaned into kiss him. He caressed his cheek with the tip of his thumb. It was soft this time. Slow. Then Cas pulled away slowly and looked at Dean with a smile before walking away.  
  
“Curses only have power when you believe in them.” Dean looked up. “And I don’t.” Cas shook his head. He started to walk to the front of the house. “You know what?” He stopped again. Dammit! “I wished for you too.” He said, looking back at Dean.  
  
And Dean broke out in quiet sobs as Castiel walked up the pathway to the front of the house to get into his car and probably leave forever.  
  
But Dean knew Cas wasn’t gone forever, because he just told him that he wished for him too.   
  
But why was he leaving? He could have stayed.

* * *

  
Dean walked into the house and shut the front door and leaned against it for a few seconds. He walked a few steps to the doorway of the living room to check on Ben, who was sat on the floor in front of the tv watching Phineas and Ferb.   
  
He turned toward the dining room and was met by Sam, his head was cocked to the side just slightly and was looking at Dean with his trademark bitchface. Dean just stepped closer and pulled the younger, taller Winchester into a hug. Sam then pulled away a little and licked the side of Dean’s face before whispering in his ear.   
  
“Howdy, Dean-o.” He drawled slowly.  
  
Dean backed away out of Sam’s grasp and just looked at him.  
  
“I’m feeling very into brothers right now.” He continued as he ghosted his fingertips over Dean’s cheek.  
  
Dean pulled away and turned around like Sam had burned him. He processed why Sam would say that.  
  
Who the fuck calls him Dean-o?  
  
Why did Sam say he was into his brother?  
  
Why did that phrase sound so famil-  
  
It suddenly dawned on Dean that that wasn’t Sam. He clenched his fist and swung around and hit his brother square in the jaw making him stumble back a few steps into the floor-to-ceiling bookcase. Sam fell to the floor and curled into himself as books and candles fell to the floor around him with a few loud thumps.  
  
Ben heard the ruckus and came running. “Dad?” He asked, worry in his voice.  
  
Dean stood there, panting, hands still clenched into fists as he stared down at Sam on the floor.  
  
“Come on, you son of a bitch.” He panted.  
  
Just then, Aunt Jody walked through the door with her bags, Aunt Ellen following suit. “Oh, Dear!”  She gasped. “It looks like we got here just in time.”  
  
They walked over to their nephew and looked at him and then down at the floor where Sam lie, unconscious it seems.  
  
“It looks like our instincts are getting to be a little rusty.” Ellen said.  
The three adults had dragged the gargantuan man into the living room and was going drop him softly into Dean’s favorite recliner.    
  
“Whoa, whoa, whoa!” Dean practically screamed. The Aunts came to a halt and stared at him still hanging onto Sam. “We are not putting him in my recliner for fuck sake! I just bought this damn thing.” He protested.  
  
Ellen looked at Jody and continued to drag Sam into the chair, ignoring Dean. “We’ll buy you a new one, sweetheart.”  
  
“Besides,” Jodie spoke up as she grabbed the rope from Dean. “It’s only for one night, Dean.” She tried to reason with the man.  
  
“But it’s comfortable.” He pouted and flailed his arms like a five year old.  
  
After they got him in the chair they began to bound him so he won’t try to get up. Dean just laid on the couch and groaned into one of the couch pillows.  
  
“Gabriel’s squatting inside him like a goddamn toad.” Aunt Jody explained and glanced briefly over at Dean. “And this is what comes from dabbling. You can’t practice the craft while you look down your nose at it.”  
  
“I know, I know.” Dean groaned and mumbled into the pillow before lifting his head up. “Just tell me what you want me to do and i’ll do it.” Dean sighed.  
  
“We have to banish the asshole.” Ellen said as he dabbed a cold, damp wash cloth around Sam’s forehead. Poor kid was drenched in sweat.   
  
“Back to the goddamn grave, where he belongs.” Jody added.  
  
“How the fuck is he back?” Dean asked, boggled. There he went thinking out loud again. He had to stop doing that.   
  
Both women shot him confused glances. “What do you mean by back?” Jody asked.  
  
Dean sighed and smashed the pillow over his face and groaned into it for a few seconds before pulling it down into his lap. “While you guys were gone,” He sighed deeply. “Something happened and we thought we banished him before, because he dissipated into thin air.” He told them.  
  
“Sorry.” Ellen said, “Who’s “we”, do you have a damn mouse in your pocket? Did your eight year old help you?” She asked in disbelief.  
  
“No. Ben didn't help. He was downstairs. It’s not important anyway.” He said waving it off, like it was nothing.   
  
The two of them didn’t and still don’t know about Castiel and if they did, Dean was pretty sure they’d kill him too. He couldn't have that, So it was better not to bring Cas up for a little longer.  
  
They had finished securing Sam in the chair. Ellen and Jody both stood simultaneously.   
  
Ellen wiped her hands on her jeans as if she had gotten them dirty in the process of tying up her youngest nephew. “We need a full coven. Nine women.”  
  
Jody looked at he sister, “twelve’s better.” She suggested.  
  
“Got any friends, sweetheart?” Ellen asked looking at Dean.

* * *

  
Dean pulled his phone from his pocket before jumping up onto the island in the kitchen. He had already grabbed the black leather binder from his bedroom. He flipped to the page he was looking for and ran his finger up and down it scanning the lined page for a name.  
  
He dialed the number and waited for an answer. They picked up on the second ring.  
  
“Hey, Kevin! It’s Dean Winchester. I’m activating the phone tree. Look, you know all that shit everyone and their fucking brother’s been whispering about me? The hexes and the-the spells and shit?” He stuttered.  “Well, it’s true!” He belted out a nervous laugh. “I’m a witch!”  
  
He stayed on the phone a few seconds longer and told Kevin to tell everyone to bring a broom.  
  
Kevin called Missouri.  
  
Missouri called Meg.  
  
Meg called Josie.  
  
Josie called Charlie.  
  
Charlie called Donna.  
  
Who called Gadreel, who called Benny, who called Hannah.  
  
While Dean was on the phone, Ben helped Ellen and Jody take everything that had hung on the walls. The lined the mantle on the fireplace with candles and Ben tried to light one like his dad and he watched in fascination as Dean blew at the wick and lit the candle.  
  
Ben was excited that people we coming over to help his Uncle Sam, but Dean told him that he was supposed to stay up stairs until they were done with the spell part. Dean told him before hand that that part got kinda scary and he didn’t want Ben to see it.  
  
Ben was on Toad Dumping Duty, which he thought was gross. But Dad had told him that it was to help Uncle Sammy, so he didn’t really mind doing it. He caught all the slimy brown toads that he had no idea had gotten in the house in the first place. He hauled the huge garbage bag outside the gate in the side yard and released the gross reptiles in the wet grass.  
  
The bright headlights are what tore the young Winchester from his gagging fit. He jumped up and down and ran in the house almost tripping on the last step. “Dad! Dad!” He yelled as he ran into something. He looked up and saw Dean beaming down at him with wide eyes. “They’re here! They’re here!”  
  
Dean grabbed his shoulders and calmed him down for a few seconds. “Alright, go show them in. It’s dark out and most of them have never been here before, so go lead the way.”  
  
By the time Ben had got back out to the yard, most of the people who had already arrived found their way in already. He noticed a few of them were lost.   
  
Ben stopped two redheads and a man who looked like a grizzly bear. “Hey, you guys look lost.” He said with a giggle.  
  
“We are.” The man admitted.  
  
“I’m Ben, Dean’s son. You’re supposed to go through the side door.” He explained to the three of them. He grabbed the man by the cuffs of his coats and walked with him to the side of the house. He let go and ran into the house toward his Dad who had been greeting people.  
  
“Benny!” Dean beamed as he stepped toward the much larger man.  
  
“Dean, brotha! How ya been, man? I haven’t heard from ya in awhile.” He said as he pulled Dean into a quick hug.  
  
“Ah, y’know?” Dean said with a slight shrug. “Raising this one,” He explained and looked down and Ben then back up at Benny, “and just working at a shop I opened up a few years ago.”  
  
Benny glanced at Ben. “Lord have mercy, Dean. He looks just like ya.” He said with a laugh.  
  
Dean looked at Ben and ruffled his dark hair with a grin, “I know it, good looks run in the family.” He joked.  
  
Aunt Jody walked passed Benny and herded him and a few others toward the stove. “Now’s not the time to be shy.” She smiled and handed them all spoons and passed them off to Ellen.  
  
“You guys just come over here and dig right in. Just stir it all together.” She explained. “Doesn’t that look delicious?” She asked. Josie just laughed and continued to stir. “And the fumes are amazing for the pores and not to mention sealing his nasty spirit back to the goddamn grave.”  
  
Josie turned to Benny. “One time my wife had a nightmare and I could fucking hear her all the way across town.”  
  
Aunt Jody couldn’t help but giggle at that. She placed a gentle hand on the red heads back and smiled. “There’s a little witch in all of us, Sweetheart.”  
  
Dean wiped the layer of sweat from his forehead and walked into the kitchen. “Hey,” He whispered into Jody’s Ear to get her attention. She turned to look at him. “Everything’s almost ready.” She nodded.  
  
Dean turned around to walk out but he ran into Meg Masters instead.   
  
“Meg, I didn’t expect to see you here.” He said flatly trying not to let the surprise tone in his voice come out.  
  
She smiled politely, “I’ve always wanted to see the inside of your house, Dean.”  
  
It clearly wasn’t a lie.  
  
“This is all I had!” Came a voice that sounded a lot like Kevin Tran’s. He held a Dust Buster in the air and Ellen let out a laugh.  
  
“Hell! That’ll work. Let’s get started.” She announced as the three witches corralled the crowd into the the almost empty livingroom.  
  
Ben was standing against the doorframe watching as everyone stalked through the hallway. Sam lay in the broom circle, thrashing wildly from side to side and sweating profusely. Dean walked over to him, blocking the view of his brother from his son and ruffled his hair. “Time to go upstairs, man.” He said. He kissed the top of Ben’s head before he trampled loudly up the stairs.  
  
“Pick a broom from the circle.” Ellen instructed.  
  
Sam groaned loudly as everyone took their places.  
  
“Holy shit!” Dean heard someone say.  
  
“I’ve been strung out by one of my girlfriends… but this?” Josie snorted in disbelief as she whispered to Kevin and took a spot in front of one of the brooms. Kevin on one side of her, Charlie on the other.  
  
  “Would each of you pick up your brooms? Hold them at staff length, handle to brush.” Jody explained. Everyone did exactly that. “Remember that as we go forth. It is only with our hearts beating as one that we can save the life of this child.” She continued softly.  
  
The room went quiet within moments, except for Sam’s frequent groans and whimpers.  
  
“Exorcizamus te, omnis immundus spiritus, omnis satanica potestas, omnis incursio infernalis adversarii, omnis legio, et secta diabolica, ergo draco maledicte et sectio, ergo draco maledicte et legio secta diabolica, ut ecclésiam tuam secúra tibi fácias servire libertáte, te rogámus, audi nos.” Ellen started chanting softly.  
  
Dean and Jody joined in after a few seconds, already knowing the incantation she was reciting. Dean was never good at this shit, He and Sam would quiz each other on it. Dean had to write it down all the time, so he wouldn’t forget it. Sam on the other hand, had it down after referencing the book three times. Dean was pissed when Sam had memorized the entire thing. He mumbled under his breath and glared at his brother before stomping away up the steps.  
  
Everyone else joined in shortly after, slurring some of the words but the three witches were saying it louder than everyone else so that sort of balanced it out a little bit.   
  
They began to chant louder and Sam continued to whine and thrash on the floor until he turned over on his stomach and pounded the floor with his fist, yelping in pain.  
  
Dean noticed after a few seconds, and kept an eye on his brother as everyone kept chanting in Latin. The flames on the candles started to flicker and Dean felt the room begin to shake as Sam continued to scream.  
  
“Stop!” Dean yelled. “Stop, you’re killing him!” He yelled again as he ran around the circle of people trying to get to his brother.  
  
“Sam! Sam!” Dean fell to his knees and hit the hardwood with a clenched fist trying to get his attention.   
  
Sam turned his head to look at Dean, sweaty and red in the face. “Fight this, bag of dicks!” He hissed through clenched teeth.   
  
Sam, somehow gathered enough strength to push himself off the floor because now he was coming right toward Dean.   
  
Sam and Dean were both knocked backward at the same time. Dean fell on his ass toward the huge casket window and Sam in the circle of brooms. Everyone jumped back and gasped in shock.   
  
“Sam! Oh, my God, Sam! Sammy!” Dean panicked as he crawled toward the circle close to Sam.  
  
The younger Winchester groaned and writhed on the floor, clawing at the hardwood with blunt fingertips.  
  
“It’s okay, it’s okay, Sammy.” Dean soothed through harsh pants as he lay flat on his stomach.  
  
Ellen and Jody had everyone step back against the wall as Dean attempted to talk to his brother.  
  
“Stay with me, man.” Dean pleaded softly.   
  
“Please just let him take me.” Sam cried.  
  
“No, I can’t let him take you. You have to hold on. Sammy, you have to stay with me. Sammy, No, stay with me. Sam, No, stay with me.”  
  
“He wants me, Dean.” Sam whispered breathily. “Just me. Everyone will be safe. Just let him take me, i’m all he wants.”  
  
Sam started to close his eyes and nod off a little.  
  
Don't you die on me, Sam Winchester, please?” Dean sniffled, holding back tears. “‘Cause we're supposed to die together, remember? The same time. You promised me that. And today is not that fucking day.” Dean protested in a whisper, but just loud enough so Sam could hear him.  
  
“I love you, Dean..”  
  
Sam closed his eyes and Dean watched him for about another second before he got an idea. He pushed himself off the floor and wiped his eyes with the back of his hand and started looking around the room full of people to find his Aunts. When his gaze landed on them he pointed a firm finger at them before leaving the room. “Get everyone back into the circle.”  
  
Dean jogged to the kitchen and to the liquor cabinet and pulled out Gabriel’s bottle of tequila, shortly returning with it to the living room along with a slice of a lime and the salt shaker.  
  
He sat with his legs tucked under each other and poured a little salt on his palm before swiping his tongue over it and taking a huge swig from the bottle.  
  
He gave the bottle a gentle shake so the alcohol fumes would waft toward Sam’s face.  “Hey, Gabe, I got a worm with your name on it.” Dean said as Sam glared at him and slowly pushed himself from the floor. “You thirsty?” Dean asked. Sam looked around the room then back at Dean. “Is this is what you want?” as He tipped the bottle back so Sam could get a good look at the label. “Well, this,” He jutted his chin toward the bottle, “you can't have.”  
  
Sam launched forward, trying to take a swing at his brother. Meg and Benny grabbed him and held his shoulders tightly so he wouldn’t squirm away.  
  
Dean cut his palm with his pocket knife and winced as it slide across his callused hand. “My blood.” He gritted out. He did the same to Sam’s palm as they held him back. “Your blood.” He slapped their hands together and gripped it tight so Sam wouldn’t let go. “Our blood.”  
  
“Now!” Ellen said.  
  
Dean launched himself toward Sam inside the circle and hugged him as tightly as possible as an aura of blue light burst throughout the room.  
  
Everyone formed the circle around them once more and joined hands as Dean hugged his brother.  
  
The aura of light burst in the circle this time, pulling the two men apart. They looked at each other in relief. Dean smiling because his brother’s not dead and Sam smiling because his dick of a ex boyfriend was now, finally gone. The two of them had managed to finally break the curse.  
  
The reverie they were in soon ended when they looked up and saw a cloud of black dust floating above their heads.  
  
“Heads up, people.” Ellen warned.  
  
Sam and Dean both hurried out of the circle and against the wall to safety as everyone in the room watched as the dust fell.  
  
That had been Gabriel Milton at one point.  
  
“I wonder if that would work on my ex-husband.” Donna said.  
  
A grin spread wide across Charlie’s face. “Time to clean this shit up, bitches!”  
  
Everyone ran toward the brooms and started to sweep the dust toward the kitchen and outside. Sam was more than ecstatic to help. In the kitchen as everyone was pushing the dust out the door, Sam and Dean dropped their brooms and went to pick up the big pot of whatever the fuck was on the stove and slowly carried it outside behind everyone.  
  
They all lined up on either side of the roses and watched as the two of them dumped the pot on to the Gabriel Milton’s grave.

* * *

  
Dean has started a fire in the little fire pit just a few feet from the patio.He carried a few sticks and fallen branches over to the pit and tossed them in.  
  
“Hey,” Sam called as he walked from the mailbox to his brother.  
  
“Yeah?”  
  
“There’s something in the mail for you.” Sam said. Dean looked up and made his way slowly toward Sam. “From Kansas…” Sam added as he waved the envelope in Dean’s face with grin.  
  
“Give me that, asshole!” Dean laughed as he snatched the envelope from his brother grasp. He plopped down on the patio floor and pulled out his pocket knife to slice the envelope open. Sam plopped down beside him after a minute or so and watched as Dean opened it. He emptied the envelope and leaned over and reached for something that fell out.  
  
Gabriel’s ring.  
  
He handed it to Sam and watched for a second as he observed it. He threw it into the fire after looking at it.  
  
Dean focused on the letter in his hand and read it aloud.  
  
**Dear Mr. Winchester:**  
**Any further investigations. This office hereby concludes Gabriel Milton’s cause of death was accidental. Jewelry found in the ashes of the structure provided positive identification.**  
**Sincerely,**  
**Castiel James Novak, FBI** **.**  
  
Dean shoved his hand in the envelope checking to see if he had missed anything. Maybe a personal letter to Dean about his feelings for him.  
  
He looked inside.  
  
“I don’t think he’s in there, dude.” Sam said with a laugh.  
  
Dean tried not to think about the feeling of his heart sinking in his chest as he folded the letter and put it back into the envelope and stared at Sam for a second. Sam could practically see the gears turning in his brain.  
  
“What would you do, Sammy?” Dean asked calmly.  
  
“What wouldn't I do,” He repeated as he pet Onyx’s face, who had jumped up in his lap seconds ago. “For the right guy?” He finished.  
  
That night Dean stood on the balcony of his bedroom and and wist a flower in the air, In hopes that Cas would somehow hear his call as it floated into the night sky.

* * *

  
Castiel Novak was back in town, at the same motel, just down the road from Dean Winchester.  
  
This time with his daughter, Claire.  
  
It was about three in the morning when he felt the need to see the witch, but he figured he’d be asleep in his bed by now. So Cas just rolled onto his side and tried to will himself back to sleep.  
  
Castiel walked through the gate of the Winchester property and began to turn his head to look for Dean. He saw movement in the woods beside the house. He looked closer and saw that Dean had been walking toward him.  
  
Jody and Ellen stood up from the garden as they noticed the man walking toward their nephew. and they just smiled. Sam was, of course watching as well, grinning like a goddamn idiot.  
  
Dean and Castiel both met in the middle and Cas just smiled brightly as they two of them stared into each other’s eyes.  
  
Ben was peering down at the two of them from the big oak tree in the side yard.  
  
How the fuck he got that high up? Dean didn’t even want to know. He didn’t really care because Castiel was here. In his yard. In front of him. Looking into his eyes like it’s the only thing he knew how to do.  
  
they stare at each other a moment longer before they’re both grinning. Castiel closes the distance between them and brings his lips to Dean’s with a searing kiss.  
  
Dean just goes boneless in his arms, like that’s what he’s been waiting for since he left last time and didn’t know for sure that he’d be back.  
  
But here he is.  
  
Dean cradles Cas’ face in his hands and deepens the kiss. Castiel doesn’t seem to mind either because now he’s got his arms wrapped around Dean’s waist, just holding him there. Not wanting to let go.  
  
Soon Cas is picking Dean up and he’s wrapping his legs around his waist and kissing him playfully as a laugh escapes both their mouths.  
  
“Asshole.” Dean teased as he bit Cas’ lip and sucked it into his mouth.  
  
“What? How am I an asshole?” Castiel asked in faux disbelief.  
  
“You had me convinced that you’d never come back.” Dean whispers through another laugh.  
  
Castiel huffs a laugh and kisses him again. “Me?” Kiss. “Not.” Kiss. “Come back.” Kiss. “For you?” Kiss.  
  
Dean just answers him with another kiss

* * *

  
  
  
It’s that time of the year again.  
  
Halloween.  
  
Everyone in the neighborhood has their kids out trick or treating. It’s getting darker now though and everyone is flocking to the front gate of the Winchester house to watch them fly from the highest point of their roof.  
  
Ben came out first, Then Dean, Sam, Jody and Ellen. Everyone waved to them from below and they waved back. Some people pointing to the roof, telling the little ones to watch as the family of witches took their places next to each other.   
  
Sam had made Dean laugh before he caught Cas’ eye and waved at him from above. Cas smiled and waved back and then looked at his daughter, who was waving at Ben.  
  
Dean straightened himself up and stood next to Sam as they all opened their umbrellas and leaped off the rooftop simultaneously.  
  
They landed safely and took a bow before people began to crowd them. Ben managed to find Castiel in the huge crowd fairly quick.  
  
Cas hoisted him up into his arms and planted a big fat kiss of the side of his face.  
Then the three of them bumped into Dean and it was his turn to get a kiss.  
  
They kissed on the lips, which Ben and Claire though was so gross, they started to make gagging noises so their parents would stop.  
  
“Can we go, already?” Ben asked, dragging out the emphasis on the “go”. “We’re starving and you guys promised us iHop for dinner.” Ben pouted, pointing between Claire and himself.  
  
“Yeah. I want french toast!” Claire announces.  
  
The two grown ups finally pull apart with a laugh.   
  
“Yes, we can go.” Dean said.  
  
Castiel pointed to the Impala. “To iHop!” He declared. The kids took off for the car, while Dean and Cas took their time walking. “That was really something, Winchester.”  
  
“Yeah?” Dean asked with a stupid grin. “Well, i’m glad you liked it.”   
  
  Can love travel back in time and heal a broken heart? Was it our joined hands that finally lifted Elizabeth’s curse? I'd like to think so. There're some things I know for certain; Always throw spilled salt over your left shoulder. Keep Rosemary by your garden gate. Plant lavender for luck. And fall in love whenever you can.  
  
~END~


End file.
